Saturday matinée escapism at its best

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2005)

This film is a fine adventure classic in the spirit of the old Saturday matinée serials, with one escape from danger or death after another. Harrison Ford and Karen Allen are a great team who, in spite of personal issues between them, manage to stay one jump ahead of the Nazis who also covet the ark and its great mysteries. After some narrow escapes in South American jungles against assorted evils, Ford and Allen embark on a worldwide journey which ends in Egypt where a local contact and guide provides aid and advice as the search begins for the ark. A Nazi doctor also covets both the ark and Allen for his own personal prize. The snake pit scene is one of the most harrowing scenes and is filled with great drama and horror. The stunt work is great throughout the picture even though some of the escape routines are pure hokey. The film is great fun and spawned several sequels because of its wide popularity.