Critique- Joe

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2005)

The Indiana Jones saga is very popular for action films today. I have seen all three of them on a recent date but never really thought about what makes them so good. When watching a movie in the theater or at home you don't realize certain techniques or qualities or characters that make it so appealing to people.
In Indiana Jones the camera is used to show the point of view stressed in the movie. It is in third person and depicts the events of his life- from his growing up as a boy to being a man teaching classes to a school and still exploring as a man.
When you think about characters from the movie, you have to start with the two most important roles: Indiana and his father. Indiana starts out as a young man trying to do what is right. He seems to grow into a man with priorities like his teaching career. He accepts a job to look for the Holy Grail almost trying to live up to his fathers glory, then he finds out his father is already on the same mission but missing. Indiana and his father have a rough relationship with each other. His father was not around much because of work when he was little so they're still trying to accept one another for who they really are. Indiana's father is different from Indiana in that he thinks before he acts and is almost more "kind" than Indiana. Their relationship grows throughout the movie, and it seems very real like a normal family would grow up. Most families do not have perfect relationships just like Indiana and his father, but they work it out to accept one another.
Unlike some movies, The Last Crusade moves from past to present. It explains Indiana Jones in his boy hood years and how he grew into the hero he is today. He spends his time searching for the cross which leads its way into the present adventures and the search for the Holy Grail. It works out well because both enjoy going on adventures and this time they are working together- almost ironic since his father wasn't around when he was a boy. Besides searching for the Grail, I think they are searching for acceptance and a better relationship together. One of the final scenes in the movie shows Donovan shoot his father so Indiana would keep the quest for the Grail to save him.
Throughout the movie Indiana Jones tries to live up to his father and his approval. You notice this because when searching for the Grail, no matter what he does Indiana cannot do anything right. Everything is made right by the end of the movie and there was realistic appeal because it sounded like a normal family and not just scripted.
There are also technical parts of the movie that made it seem real and more enjoyable. The director uses cameras with different angles and changes views to see Indiana throughout his chases. Another technique was dim lighting and framed camera work to show mood, and what was made to think of certain places. The library is made to be creepy so the lighting was low and dim. Certain camera shots showed views that made is seem like you were really in Indiana's shoes, like when they showed the side mirror in one of the chases.
Until now I never realized what actually went into a movie and not just acting. There are so many aspects that you don't appreciate when just watching a movie for entertainment. After critiquing a film you actually understand how much work and energy it took to complete a film like Indiana Jones. Although I'd rather just watch a movie for fun, it was interesting knowing the different techniques put into films.