Entertainment as it was meant to be

Rating: 9/10 (29 October 2012)

Film exists to provide entertainment. Raiders of the Lost Ark does just that, in its purest form. Very few other films can claim to such a beloved status as this, adventure's masterpiece.
I feel like this is a film that anyone who ventures onto the IMDb has seen. As such, it's redundant to tell you to see this one. No, there's no deep message, or allegory, but 2 hours of unrivalled fun. Action, explosions, suspense, wit, romance, comedy... the ultimate blockbuster.
Cinephiles may look down on Indy for not having thematic value, but that was never the intent. Armed with the most lethally sharp script in Hollywood, Spielberg and Lucas created an extraordinarily likable character put into a unique, original situation. Religious mystery? Shooting lots of people? Yes, but it's OK because they're Nazis. Or Belloq. Everything about this film is top notch, from its acting, to music, cinematography, set design... pure joy.
I'd always seen this film as timeless: the version I saw was of fantastic quality and the film looks fantastic, explosions are convincing, the violence is surprisingly graphic but not extreme, but the little thing that bugs me is the CG. It's the only part of the film firmly rooted in the 80's, and it bugs me to see such primitive effects next to the most pristine presentation otherwise.
But this little thing can't hold back Raiders. If there was ever a film with style and substance, this is it. One of the warmest, most entertaining films of all time, telling one of entertainments greatest stories with one of film's iconic characters. 9.3/10