"You call this archeology?"

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2008)

My Take: A lighter approach than the ominous TEMPLE OF DOOM, this highly enjoyable romp is a highly entertaining adventure.
Sequels don't usually live through this long, but the INDIANA JONES series has, and even at the third chapter, the fun with the whip-wielding archaeologist has not run out. In INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, we don't only get Indiana Jones (still played with perfection by Harrison Ford), but we also get to meet his father, the brilliant Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery, a perfect match). Ford and Connery has such a chemistry in the film, and it is perhaps the best thing about it. Seeing Indy getting a little help from dad (who, may I just remind, is played by an actor who used to play James Bond 007 himself) makes such a surprising entertainment for a third chapter in a series that practically borrows the formula used in the first two films.
Much like the first film RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Indy goes up against power-hungry Nazis once more, who this time is in search of the fabled Holy Grail, the cup in which Jesus served with during the Last Supper. Other than his father, Indy also gets help from old buddies Proffesor Brody (Denholm Elliot) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). They race against time trying to make sure they find the grail before the Nazis do. Allison Doody plays Dr. Elsa Schneider, a historian who may not be who she seems, and Julian Glover plays Walter Donovan.
The formula is mainly a rehash of the first film, as it basically pits Indy against Nazis once more. Other than the opening scenes, which features a young Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) in his very first adventure, the film is reworking the plot of the first film, with some several differences. Still, if it weren't the original formula, we wouldn't have loved it as much as we do. The INDIANA JONES series, much like the Bond series, follows a certain formula of its own. We, by now, know exactly how it goes, but thanks to some creativity that fortunately Hollywood producers still have, the movie is fun, and it's not deja 'vu all over again. The movie has a lot of fun with special effects, stunt sequences, but not without providing quality to the characters and edge to the plot.
Sequels aren't supposed to be this good. It seemed to have become a rule that sequels aren't meant to be better than the original. INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE has not broken the rule, but even so, this is a very worthy sequel. An original film on its own.
Rating: ***** out of 5.