An Essential Classic

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2009)

Raiders of the Lost Ark is the greatest action/adventure movie ever made. In many ways, the film actually transcends both these genres and stands as a work of art.
Steven Spielberg's mastery at creating spellbinding set pieces and action sequences is on full display. The entire opening, complete with the "Idol swap" and the giant rolling boulder, has never been equaled in terms of sheer excitement and execution. The same can be said about many of the sequences. The chase through the desert is the greatest car chase ever filmed, and the ending (with melting Nazis) is a brilliant, unforgettable villain death scene. Raiders proves that the quality/realism of a film's special effects aren't all that important - it's how you use them.
Harrison Ford gives a legendary performance as Indy, Karen Allen has never been better as his love interest Marion (she is one of the toughest, wittiest female characters in the movies), and Denholm Eliot and John Rhys-Davies are wonderfully colorful in their key supporting roles.
Just like Jaws, if Raiders of the Lost Ark had fallen into the hands of any director other than Steven Spielberg, it would have been nothing more than a cheap B-movie. But because Spielberg was at the helm, Raiders is one of the greatest movies of all time.
Oh... and once you hear John Williams' music, i will remain in your head forever.