Best of the Indiana Jones series and one of the all time greatest!

Rating: 10/10 (6 April 2006)

This is by far and away the best movie in a trilogy of great movies. After establishing the fact that Indiana is a likable and yet not immortal hero, that the suspense never stops and that the characters still have room to be developed, there are two other things that really make this movie incredible.
First, Marion Ravenwood is the best heroine of the series. If there's a possible rip against the next two, it is her absence. She is tough and aware of the events, and yet she is still beautiful and perfectly ladylike. It might seem like somewhat of a contradiction, but to anyone whos seen it, they know what I'm talking about. Elsa Scheider and Willie Scott of the later movies simply don't match up to Marion.
Second, the movie is incredibly clever in that Indiana, despite all the trouble he faces, has absolutely no impact on the outcome. He could have told the government to shove it, and it would not have mattered. The Nazis eventually open the Ark, only to find that to be a somewhat gruesome thing. Its a funny irony, that the artifact they are so desperately looking for is better left untouched. Some might see this as bad, but I thought it was an interesting twist, and it does NOT ruin the movie at all. Besides, all the action and humor leading up to that point should more than make up for anyone who disliked that aspect.
Either way, this movie is, IMO, the greatest of all time, a real must see!
PS, I've just seen some negative reviews, and just like it was with When Harry Met Sally, most of the whiners seem to be coming from foreign countries, like France and Germany (who of course have a long history of popping out excellent movies...lol). None of them seem to have any good reason to rip the movie except that they're disappointed to see their own people getting beat up on. Oh, jealousy...