The pinnacle of adventure films

Rating: 10/10 (29 April 2007)

I must say that I cannot find anything to carp about with this thoroughly entertaining and rousing adventure flick which pays loving homage to the cliffhanger serial of yesteryear, while elevating the entire genre to a whole new level of sophistication.
The plot sets daring archaeologist Indiana Jones (the superb, indispensable Harrison Ford) off on a rip-roaring adventure to locate the fabled Ark of the Covenant. The villains are no less than the Nazis, led by smarmy rival archaeologist Paul Freeman and slimy Peter Lorre look-a-like Gestapo agent Ronald Lacey. Assisting the hero are past and current love Marion Ravenwood (a terrific Karen Allen) and Sallah (John Rhys-Davies).
The film boasts stellar special effects that are used in the service of a literate, intelligently written storyline. The dialog is believable and the relationships amongst the characters are fascinating. The film has terrific atmosphere and flawless direction from Steven Spielberg, who really hit all the right notes in showing the kind of expertise that could be brought to popcorn films. The action set pieces are all splendid and suspenseful. Ford and Allen share a terrific chemistry. In fact, so strong is the relationship between their characters that the follow-ups have suffered a bit from the absence of the Allen character - a flaw that Spielberg and company seem unwilling to correct even in the newly announced forthcoming venture. The film has terrific villains and builds to a breathtaking climax with a healthy dose of cynicism thrown in at the end.
A truly superb film that is usually to be found on the lists of the greatest films of all time and at the top of the greatest adventure films ever.