The series take a different path which still works thanks to the cast mostly

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2008)

Many consider The Last Crusade to be the best in the series. And many attribute Sir Sean Connery's performance as the staunch and proper Dr. Henry Jones Sr. as the turning point in the series and really makes it terrific. I have a slightly different take on both of those aspects. The Last Crusade is still a worthy part of the series and definitely is not "worse" than any of the others. I just don't believe it's any better either. In fact for me it kind of steered away from the core idea of Indiana Jones bring a gritty action adventure. Yes the film has action and adventure but also feels a little Hollywood with some smart comedy, one liners, bigger cast, bigger budget, and less historical viewpoint despite the idea behind the film. A lot of the film is Indiana rescuing his father from the Nazi's which is a completely different take on the series and a classic moment is Hitler himself signing Indy's book in Berlin. While I do think Sean Connery being added to the cast was a great decision I also think his character and therefore him was overused. It was like they were trying really hard to breath new life into the series and I don't think it needed it. It seemed to leave behind the homage to the 40's serials, and the campiness in exchange for big budget spectacles.
Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones and as always is terrific as the hero to end all heroes. I think in The Last Crusade his portrayal is a little more sarcastic and humorous and doesn't really get as much opportunity to show off that rugged side that we have came to know and love. But the film had a different tone and Ford adapted Indy to fit that and still created the amazing character. Sir Sean Connery joins the cast as Indy's father and really did a terrific job. He was the polar opposite to Ford's Indiana Jones and yet they had this similar quality that made their roles believable. They have terrific chemistry together and Connery just fit into the cast perfectly. Alison Doody is the latest in Jones' love interests and she also kind of doubles as a villain but a sympathetic villain. She's also far more sultry and seductive than previous heroines from the series. River Phoenix also deserves honorable mention as he portrays the Young Indy and gives us a bit of history on the character in the beginning of the film which is one of the great moments in The Last Crusade. Phoenix is brilliant as young Indy and when grabs that cross and reaches for the ladder and flashes a smirk at the camera...it is a pinpoint accurate smirk that Harrison Ford is renowned for. That alone makes Phoenix a great performer in the film.
The Last Crusade is a terrific installment in the series. I mean you have some really key moments like the history of Indy in the opening, and meeting Hitler and the entire creation of his father as a character played by Connery, the tank battle towards the cliff...I mean the film is still a classic and important part of the Indiana Jones series but I still didn't feel like it quite felt the same as the previous two Indiana Jones films. Steven Spielberg returned to the helm for this third film and you can still see his style and amazing directing skills but the film was still different and maybe they were aiming for something a little different. If anything Indiana Jones could be described as resilient and adaptive and this shows a different kind of adventure story set against the back drop of World War II and Nazi occupation but still has this medieval ancient story close behind. Regardless you have to see the film...many consider it the best, I consider it my least favorite but that's like saying I prefer Chocolate cake to Apple Pie or brownies...they are all delicious!! 8/10