Raiders of the Lost Ark

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: June 12, 1981

8.9	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 1050 Ratings

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lofu_agfyNov 11, 2020

This adventure flick, which mixes the Western movie formula and special effects in their infant days, represents the American mainstream cinema in the early 80s in many ways. The protagonist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is a scholar and anThis adventure flick, which mixes the Western movie formula and special effects in their infant days, represents the American mainstream cinema in the early 80s in many ways. The protagonist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is a scholar and an action hero; this combination is unique but the uniqueness has nothing to do with the character development and seems to be the result of the filmmakers' thoughtless decision. The portrayal of the heroine Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) is also inconsistent; sometimes she is tough and independent, while frail and dependent on Indiana Jones in the other times. Along with a dragging optimistic story, overly stretched action scenes may be beyond the audience's attention span. The Reaganomix overshadows the plot, where the Americans can do whatever they want in foreign places (South America, Nepal, and Cairo). The sets of Nepal and Cairo look nothing but sets, while John Williams' score, with a catchy melody line by brilliant brass in the Late Romanticism taste, annoyingly accentuates every single action.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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Bruce722Nov 29, 2012

This movie was just about what I expected in some ways but unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype in others. First with the good stuff, it was exactly what I thought in terms of actions sequences, whip cracks, and archeological hunts.This movie was just about what I expected in some ways but unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype in others. First with the good stuff, it was exactly what I thought in terms of actions sequences, whip cracks, and archeological hunts. Those things were the strong elements of the film in my opinion. There were also plenty of funny scenes and the effects, while terrible in today's standards, were pretty darn good for a 30+ year-old film. The reason I rated this movie so low, however, is for the few negative parts. Things like the fact that the Indiana Jones character might be the dumbest protagonist in action film history for example. Or the corny scenes that mar so many films of that era. I honestly don't know what people were thinking back then to enjoy such tomfoolery. The other things that hurt the film weren't as major. The mystical/supernatural element was unfortunate but that's more of a personal thing. I tend to zone out when ridiculous stuff comes on the screen in supposedly realistic settings. The acting also wasn't great but it wasn't all that bad either. I was disappointed though in the lack of charisma from Harrison Ford during the movie. The same guy who managed to turn a douche bag smuggler into a fan favorite didn't have much opportunity to do the same here. I mainly blame the writing and directing. Still, the movie was enjoyable and I look forward to seeing the next two being that I've heard the series gets substantially better after the first one.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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JacktronicsJul 15, 2023

This is better than Temple of Doom, by a mile, but it falls very short of the perfect Last Crusade.

It's an interesting start. It's a shame that Temple of Doom had to ruin it. The series would be fine without the second film.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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