Maybe My Favorite Film Of All Time!

Rating: 10/10 (25 January 2006)

A true modern classic. It's all been said before me -- Ford is perfect, Karen Allen (his best leading lady, hands down) is ideal, and the whole movie couldn't be changed one frame and still be as great as it is. For the nitpickers: Look for a tiny Indy hanging on to the periscope of the U-boat (U-boats couldn't entirely submerge, they had to keep at least an airpipe above water at all times for ventilation).
This lovingly crafted tribute to the great Saturday afternoon serials of the 1930s-1950s is full of fun, gritty action (Indiana Jones fights dirtier than any of his opponents -- he uses *every trick in the book!*), Americana, deathtraps and cliffhangers, and real Hollywood magic. Add to that the awe-inspiring musical score (better, ahem, than STAR WARS'), the eminently quotable dialogue ("You Americans, you are always the same -- always overdressing for the wrong occasions"), and that this is Ford's best role ever, and you have a must-see movie. If you haven't seen ROTLA, see it now! Right now! Me, I think I'll go watch it again. About 40 times in the theater, who knows how often on the small screen -- and it's still as great as ever!