In what order do you rate the Indiana Jones Movies

[choopie]

I can forgive some of the disbelief scenes in Raiders and ToD because they are presented in a more serious context than the silliness of LC and KOTCS. Plus, I have to remind myself that my views of the films change as I get older. When I saw Raiders and ToD as a kid, I didn't think twice about the plausibility of Indy taking a ride on the sub or him, Willie, and Shorty surviving a tumble from an airplane in a raft. In fact, I thought that the ToD scene was exciting and thrilling. I saw LC much older and KOTCS as an adult, of course, so I'm not as forgiving.

 

[Kamandi]

Several mentions the submarine in Raiders. Why? I think it's assumed the sub did not submerge as it made it's way to a nearby port island. The comic book showed him lash himself to the periscope with his bullwhip. I doubt that would've held for long.

The improbable luck of Indy and his fellow travellers is a problem in all the films but it gets more frequent in the later films. The biggest problem is how in TLC and KotCS there's an overuse of slapstick in the middle of a scene where there should be dramatic tension.

 

[Shadow Master]

I can forgive some of the disbelief scenes in Raiders and ToD because they are presented in a more serious context than the silliness of LC and KOTCS. Plus, I have to remind myself that my views of the films change as I get older. When I saw Raiders and ToD as a kid, I didn't think twice about the plausibility of Indy taking a ride on the sub or him, Willie, and Shorty surviving a tumble from an airplane in a raft. In fact, I thought that the ToD scene was exciting and thrilling. I saw LC much older and KOTCS as an adult, of course, so I'm not as forgiving.

Exactly. The much more comical and slapsticky tone the latter two films has is what makes it much harder for me to take their more OTT moments seriously, whereas the seriousness of the first two makes it easy for me to suspend that disbelief and go with it.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I can forgive some of the disbelief scenes in Raiders and ToD because they are presented in a more serious context than the silliness of LC and KOTCS. Plus, I have to remind myself that my views of the films change as I get older. When I saw Raiders and ToD as a kid, I didn't think twice about the plausibility of Indy taking a ride on the sub or him, Willie, and Shorty surviving a tumble from an airplane in a raft. In fact, I thought that the ToD scene was exciting and thrilling. I saw LC much older and KOTCS as an adult, of course, so I'm not as forgiving.

Several mentions the submarine in Raiders. Why? I think it's assumed the sub did not submerge as it made it's way to a nearby port island. The comic book showed him lash himself to the periscope with his bullwhip. I doubt that would've held for long.

The improbable luck of Indy and his fellow travellers is a problem in all the films but it gets more frequent in the later films. The biggest problem is how in TLC and KotCS there's an overuse of slapstick in the middle of a scene where there should be dramatic tension.

Exactly. The much more comical and slapsticky tone the latter two films has is what makes it much harder for me to take their more OTT moments seriously, whereas the seriousness of the first two makes it easy for me to suspend that disbelief and go with it.

I agree with all of this.

As far as Raiders is concerned, It's by far the most "realistic" of the four, especially if the biggest nitpick in a movie with spirits and melting faces is how Indy held on to a submarine in a scene that wasn't even shown (just implied). That's also the kind of thing that I can ignore with any old action movie as well. Raiders is probably as close to a perfect action movie as they can get, IMO.

TOD was more over the top. And to think that the raft scene was a carry over from the original Raiders script! There was also Indy vs ninjas! Boy am I glad those scenes were cut because of budget.

Just goes to show that George and Stephen always had some hack in them since the beginning. If they're given a blank check, you get crap! Those guys really need boundaries!

But I think choopie has a good point with the age thing. I saw TOD when I was 11 and it blew me away! I found that it's aged a bit for me but I still enjoy it, especially the overall dark tone and scenes like Club Obi Wan and looking for the diamond, the booby trap and the rope bridge.

I'll still place LC in last place for the lackluster effects and lightweight tone. KCS by no means a great film, but I find it more enjoyable probably because there's no emotional baggage on my part. And at least the effects are better than LC's!

 

[Shadow Master]

One of the reasons TLC has fallen lower on my ranking list is because of the overly comedic nature of it and how Indy himself is even made the butt of jokes several times. I still had the whole bit with him disguised as a Scottish lord, for me it's pretty much tied with the swinging monkeys in KOTCS as my least favorite moment in the series. I like how in KOTCS Indy isn't a source of humor and feels more like his proper self.

 

[TURINS~BANE]

One of the reasons TLC has fallen lower on my ranking list is because of the overly comedic nature of it and how Indy himself is even made the butt of jokes several times. I still had the whole bit with him disguised as a Scottish lord, for me it's pretty much tied with the swinging monkeys in KOTCS as my least favorite moment in the series. I like how in KOTCS Indy isn't a source of humor and feels more like his proper self.

I like the scotish lord scene its Indy using his brain to get into the Nazi castle by doing a bad scotish accent lol. The Last Crusade is one of my best films of all time, I found a lot of things in KOTCS Far more silly.

 

[Shadow Master]

I still enjoy TLC, don't get me wrong, it's great. But moments like that stick out like a sore thumb for me. I find the comedic elements especially jarring considering the whole father and son story angle the film has with Indy and Henry, Sr.

 

[TURINS~BANE]

I love last crusade there is a lot more comedy in it, it as some great moments, when Indy and his dad are on the bike and he does some bad *** jousting with the nazi lol. And i love the knight theme.

 

[Shadow Master]

I'm not putting down TLC at all, I still love the film. Connery is awesome in it and the chemistry he and Ford have is great, the tank scene kicks *** and I agree 100% on the Grail Knight theme. Next to the Slave Children's Crusade and the main Indy theme, one of my favorite pieces of music from the series.

 

[Shadow Master]

TOD was more over the top. And to think that the raft scene was a carry over from the original Raiders script! There was also Indy vs ninjas! Boy am I glad those scenes were cut because of budget.

Forgot to comment on those before, but I wonder if the raft scene would get the lashing it did in TOD if it had been in ROTLA instead. I'd imagine it would've stuck out to many people and not in a good way.

 

[WesMordine]

Yeah, that definitely also enraged me along with the ridiculous 3 waterfall drops. So yes, I agree with ya. That entire jungle chase scene is awful.

Gotta agree. The film would have been perfect (not literally) if that part had been left out. Heck, I'd take the whole thing minus the intolerable monkey swinging scene.

But other than that, I loved the movie. It was an inmense nostalgic pleasure to see Indy at the movies again. For realism go watch a documentary, or the news.

 

[Shadow Master]

But other than that, I loved the movie. It was an inmense nostalgic pleasure to see Indy at the movies again. For realism go watch a documentary, or the news.

I always get bugged when people complain about a movie not being realistic. A lot of them aren't meant to be.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Forgot to comment on those before, but I wonder if the raft scene would get the lashing it did in TOD if it had been in ROTLA instead. I'd imagine it would've stuck out to many people and not in a good way.

Depends on how it's shot, I think. Raiders was shot with such a hard, gritty look, that it felt more serious and real. The acting, for the most part, was also taken very seriously with not much of a tongue in cheek or a wink to the audience. TOD started to get a little winky-winky with the over the top stuff. The raft scene I consider a little over the top for obvious reasons, but also because of Willie's scream all the way down (was that REALLY necessary? Did you HAVE to insert that bit of humor into what could have been scary and exhilarating scene?). However, a lot of those over the top moments can be overlooked in TOD because the movie moves so fast from action scene to action scene, building the scenarios larger and larger, you practically don't have time to breathe, much less judge the physics of the stunts. It's also countered by the dark tone of the rest of the movie.

So I'm willing to overlook a few things in TOD because it's such a wallop of a ride. LC and KCS are just so-so rides with lots of unfunny humor and light-weight action scenes.

 

[Shadow Master]

TOD also has it's dark tone and vibe to balance out some of the more OTT and comical moments in it. The movie definitely introduced some more OTT elements in the series that carried over into the next two movies.

 

[shadowfla]

just the official release..
1. Raiders of the lost ark
2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of doom
3. Indiana Jones and the last crusade (I loved the interpretation of connery)
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the crystal skull (not so much)

 

[WesMordine]

I'm going to blow your minds away (and get some rotten tomatoes and eggs and stuff tossed at me), but Raiders is closer to the bottom of my list.

Last Crusade is the best in my humble opinion (IMHO). Can't beat having Indiana Jones and his father James Bond together.

But, as with Star Wars, I prefer to see them as part of a whole. A whole which I really enjoy. They're all great, fun films that I treasure. As a SAGA, I rate them right there at the top of cinema.

 

[Darth Zangetsu]

For me it goes:
Last Crusade
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Temple of Doom
The abomination that was Crystal Skull

 

[TURINS~BANE]

Last crusade is best one to me

 

[Shadow Master]

But, as with Star Wars, I prefer to see them as part of a whole. A whole which I really enjoy. They're all great, fun films that I treasure. As a SAGA, I rate them right there at the top of cinema.

Absolutely. I think all four of them are tremendously entertaining and each adds something special in it's own way to the whole.

 

[EarlHickey98]

For me its:
1- Temple of Doom
2- Last Crusade
3- Raiders of the Lost Ark
4- The Kingdom of the crystal skull (meh)