Raiders of the Lost Ark Review

Off the heals of, what is arguably, Spielberg’s worst film, I am reminded why he is as celebrated as he is. The way he makes movies include techniques that create the genre of the blockbuster we know today. There are just so many iconic moments in here. From the opening, to the dysentery scene (if you don’t know, look it up), to the iconic ending. Spielberg does all of this through creating an incredibly fun adventure, but, that doesn’t mean it’s without flaws. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, you have no excuse not to. It’s one of Spielberg’s best films, it’s iconic, and (more importantly) it’s on Netflix. Taking place in the 1940s, the film follows Indiana Jones on his search for the Ark of the Covenant. Along the way, Indiana Jones encounters swordsmen, snakes, and Nazis. All of this is the make up of a very fun and thrilling adventure story. Being that this is the same time as Return of the Jedi’s infamous “force kick”, the fight choreography is quite ahead of its time. Part of this is due to the varying set-pieces, giving variety to the tools and obstacles facing our hero. The use of tracking shots is also a very helpful tool here. It would be boring to have a still shot as Jones races through the streets of Cairo. And, no Spielberg would be complete without an iconic John Williams score, and Raiders of the Lost Ark delivers this very well. Even without watching the movie, almost anyone on earth could pinpoint the iconic fanfare to the movie without trying. As for the acting, Harrison Ford plays Harrison Ford, and everyone else plays Nazis. So, it’s about what one could expect, however, that brings me to my main criticism about the story. The problem is that this film has no arc. Although the plot is simple, the characters stay in the same place. As iconic as he may be, Indiana Jones is a very two dimensional character. Looking back on what I have watched, this has actually been a very common trend through Spielberg’s work. He seems to value a thrilling action story over making compelling and ever-changing characters. In a way, this should have been called Raiders of the Lost Arc. My apologies, I needed to get that one out of my system. While this can be frustrating once realized, it doesn’t completely ruin the film. As, aside from the dated special effects, the visual style is appealing enough to carry the film. Overall, while the flaw of characters in all of Steven Spielberg’s movies, there is no denying how iconic it is. I know I’ve used that phrase quite often, but it’s true. Disregarding character in attempt to focus on getting from point A to point B in the plot and making an impressive visual statement is a trend that Spielberg created that has now carried through almost every single modern blockbuster. Yes, Jaws started the modern age of summer blockbusters. However, it is my belief that Raiders of the Lost Ark is the start of many modern themes in these movies. That’s something very special. 7.9/10