Another gem from Spielberg

Rating: 9/10 (17 October 2004)

Indiana Jones is the quintessal live-action cartoon, but that doesn't mean that it's not worth watching. When I first saw it I was expecting a campy action flick with too many guns and James Bond car chases. Of course, I was completely wrong.
This is the first and probably the best of the Indiana Jones trilogy. Henry Jones Jr., commonly known as Indiana Jones, is a professor of archeology who sometimes does... specialty jobs. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, he searches for the Ark of the Covenant, a Biblical relic said to strike down 'armies' in a second. Indy barely hesitates to accept the little stint.
Lucas's special effects are unique and CGI-free. From rolling stone balls to snakes - lots of snakes - this flick does an excellent job. The filming is nothing special : just enough to tell the story well. Indy braves a lot of unique traps and obstacles, all of which are of course awesome to watch.
The acting is very good. I'm no film critic, but nobody in Raiders was blatantly bad. Belloq is smooth and intimidating as Indiana's Nazi rival. Harrison Ford IS Jones, no doubt about it. Nobody will ever play Indy as well as that.
Overall: 9/10. Awesome. DO NOT MISS. If you don't see this movie, you have no idea what you're missing.