Review of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) by Chris W — 01 Jun 2013

This is basically one of the all -time greatest action/adventure films ever made. It's also totally cool that it delves into fantasy/supernatural territory as well, as it doesn't feel out of place.

Set in 1936, this loving homage to action/adventure serials of the 1930s and 40s follows Indiana Jones- a college professor and archaeologist who, unlike most people in his profession, is also an adventurer who has no problems getting down and dirty to get the treasures and artifacts he needs.

Called upon by military intelligence agents, he sets out on a globe trotting quest to find and recover the Ark of the Covenant (the chest containing the remains of the Ten Commandments) before the Nazis do, who feel that they will be unstoppable if the Ark is in their possession. Joining him are Marion Ravenwood- his embittered former lover and daughter of his mentor (who was an expert on the Ark), and his comrade Sallah- 'the best digger in Cairo'. Along the way, Jones and Co. have to contend with Indy's rival French archaeologist Renee Belloq (who is working for the Nazis), relentless Gestapo officer Toht, a bunch of soldiers, and a ton of snakes (Indy's biggest fear).

Spielberg and Co. intended this to be just a loving B-movie homage to stuff from the past that they loved. They weren't trying to make an amazing work of art. However, the film was so well done that that is exactly what it became, transcending the level of genre pic to masterpiece of artistic adventure cinema.

Pretty much everything about this film shines: the script is tight, with the characterization and exposition expertly laid out with perfect pacing, the technical stuff like cinematography, editing, and all the effects (yay for no CGI!) are superb, then of course, there's the music. Hands down amazing. The score by John Williams pretty much drives the film, and is probably overall, what really makes it work. While the film does have dialogue, it's actually pretty sparse, with most of the film cruising along via visual storytelling, highlighted by the thrilling music cues.

Harrison Ford is terrific as Indy, and among his most iconic roles, this one's probably the best, and that's taking into consideration that I'm a big Star Wars fan. Paul Freeman is amazing as Belloq, who is a terrific character. Yeah, he's the villain, but he's actually quite layered and complex, and not really that typical of a villain. Basically he and Indy are pretty morally gray, but Belloq is a tad bit darker. Arnold Lacey is friggin creepy as Toht, and he really makes your skin crawl. As Marion, Karen Allen is great, and the character is more than just a pure damsel in distress. John Rhys-Davies is fun as Sallah, and it's great seeing Alfred Molina in his film debut as a guide who helps Indy on a mission prior to the Ark quest.

The film is fun, funny, and very thrilling. I've seen it many times, and it never gets old. Yeah, there's a few cheesy moments, but they mostly add to the charm and enjoyment of things. I got the chance to see this on the big screen, and, let me tell you, it really added to the experience, and made me love this film even more.

If you've somehow managed to never see this, you really must. It's crackling good entertainment, and truly one of the best.