It Thrills from beginning to End

Rating: 10/10 (15 September 2012)

When I first saw it in the early 80's, I was exhilarated because here was a film that was non-stop adventure, went to exotic places, some of which had always been poorly replicated on 40's and 50's studio sets. This time, I think, we were treated to location shooting, with state of the arts special effects, and at the helm, Steven Spielberg, made sure we got enough thrills for a lifetime.
Everyone knows how Indiana Jones jumps from adventure to adventure on his quest for the mythical Ark of the Covenant, which is possible a source of unmeasurable, destructive power in the wrong hands. So, Indy searches for different parts of the puzzle from Asia to Africa, and we're eventually treated to a fitting and spectacular display of the Ark's powers.
"Raiders" works because of its witty and resourceful script, the great performances by Ford and the rest of the cast, and a creative team that manages to recreate long gone eras with much attention to detail. There's more to praise: John Williams' now legendary score, the snappy editing, and its cinematography.
Then there's that scene in the warehouse... "Raiders" proved that they just don't make them like they used to.