Ranking the Indiana Jones Series

[Jack Napier]

Mola Ram is my favorite, but I got a lotta love for Toht.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I always thought Toht was underused (perhaps the only real gripe I have with Raiders), but he definitely comes through with the little screentime has.

 

[Bim]

Mola Ram is my favorite, but I got a lotta love for Toht.

I love this guy too. His entrance in that scene where Marion is with Beloq with the entire hanger thingy is hilarious

 

[Indy Flash]

Raiders
Crusade
Temple of doom
Krystal Skull

I love Thot too.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Toht's scene in the bar is still pretty unsettling when you think he's about to strike Marion with the hot poker.

 

[elsewhere]

Raiders
Doom
Crusade












Crystal Skull

I agree with this. In fact just pretend Crystal Skull doesn't exist.

 

[Punisher Rising]

On another similar note, what's everyone's favorite artifact in the series? Much as I'm a huge TOD fan and think the Sankara Stones were cool, I got to give it to the Ark. How can you not love a relic that contains ghosts that melt your face as soon as it's opened?

 

[Drizzle]

I always thought Toht was underused (perhaps the only real gripe I have with Raiders), but he definitely comes through with the little screentime has.

Though he has less screentime than Belloq, Toht's still probably the most memorable villain in Raiders. Mainly due to his death scene. Sure, the other Nazis went out more or less the same way, but Toht's face melting is an image that's stuck with me since I was a kid.

 

[Breogan]

Though he has less screentime than Belloq, Toht's still probably the most memorable villain in Raiders. Mainly due to his death scene. Sure, the other Nazis went out more or less the same way, but Toht's face melting is an image that's stuck with me since I was a kid.

All the Nazi face melting was great, including Toht, but Belloq going "...it's beautiful!" all euphoric, then beams shooting out of his engulfed flaming face and his head finally exploding! Was insane. [you want ultimate power, truth and knowledge..have it]. A fitting end to Johns' most memorable rival and counterpart.

Belloq: You and I are very much alike. Archeology is our religion, yet we have both fallen from the pure faith. Our methods have not differed as much as you pretend. I am but a shadowy reflection of you. It would take only a nudge to make you like me. To push you out of the light.
Johns: Now you're getting nasty.

 

[Bim]

On another similar note, what's everyone's favorite artifact in the series? Much as I'm a huge TOD fan and think the Sankara Stones were cool, I got to give it to the Ark. How can you not love a relic that contains ghosts that melt your face as soon as it's opened?

Same for me, the ark wins it. Then the Sankara stones, the crystal skulls and last the holy grail.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I'd probably rank the relics in that order, too.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Oh, I forgot about the fertility idol, that deserves some recognition for sure. I'd probably rank it about even with the Crystal Skull.

 

[Rocketman]

I'm just as surprised today as I was in 2008, with this whole, "We'll accept ghosts and demons and the Holy Grail, and the voodoo possession, and guys getting their hearts ripped out and yet they're still alive, jumping out of an airplane with a raft that isn't inflated yet, stones that glow orange, being chased by a giant ball in a cave...

... but aliens? Nope, no sir. We won't have it. This movie doesn't exist to us."

 

[Victarion]

I prefer the supernatural to the straight up sci-fi, myself. I really had no problem with the monkeys or the fridge.

 

[Rocketman]

I prefer the supernatural to the straight up sci-fi, myself. I really had no problem with the monkeys or the fridge.

Me either. Crazier/dumber things have happened in these movies. You just roll with it.

And it's nothing compared to the Prequel Trilogy. That's a whole other animal on its own. This movie had THE Harrison Ford return, in arguably his most beloved role, he was as great as ever, doing what he does best. We should all be grateful. It's rare.

 

[Duke]

I'd rank my Indiana Jones movies as follows:


Raiders of the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade
Indiana Jones & The Temple Of Doom
Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (even though it's a tv series)
Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls

 

[Rocketman]

I'll go with:

1. Temple of Doom
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4. The Last Crusade

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

"He chose poorly"

The Holy Grail is the best relic.

Such an important lesson for our money chasing society.

 

[Rocketman]

"He chose poorly"

The Holy Grail is the best relic.

Such an important lesson for our money chasing society.

It had the slowest pace, in my opinion. It's always the one speed bump in my Indy marathon, much like Die Hard 2. It's a chore.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I didn't notice any pacing issues. I was too busy being awed by a perfectly executed metaphor for man's tricky journey through life, a father's purpose as an essential guide/teacher, and the ultimate value of humility over treasure and riches.

One of the most valuable messages in a blockbuster movie.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I love TLC but overtime I think I enjoy it a wee bit less than the others. It's still great, but for some reason it lacks the intensity of the first two and as I said before, I grew to enjoy KOTCS more for the Sci-Fi angle and that it tried new things. It showed Indy can also work well in a Sci-Fi setting provided he has a good story to back him up.

 

[Punisher Rising]

I forgot to mention this before, but I wonder if anyone else really dislikes this about TLC, when it's revealed during the prologue how Indy essentially stole his iconic jacket and fedora look from the explorer at the beginning? Even as a kid I always hated that, how it's revealed he stole the look. To me it kinda hurt the character a little, to think he stole his look from someone else. It's akin to me if Darth Vader stole his whole mask and cape look from a random nobody. It's among the reasons TLC these days is my least favorite one, I just really dislike that revelation.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Giving this a small bump, got to spread the Indy love

 

[weezerspider]

I'm just as surprised today as I was in 2008, with this whole, "We'll accept ghosts and demons and the Holy Grail, and the voodoo possession, and guys getting their hearts ripped out and yet they're still alive, jumping out of an airplane with a raft that isn't inflated yet, stones that glow orange, being chased by a giant ball in a cave...

... but aliens? Nope, no sir. We won't have it. This movie doesn't exist to us."

THIS!! KOTCS isn't great by any means, but the uproar about the aliens makes no sense to me. It fits PERFECTLY with the time period of the film as well. The 50's was when all the Area 51/alien abduction conspiracy stuff started, similar to how Raiders played off the historical fact that Nazi's actually did look for powerful relics. I do think KOTCS has plenty of its cheese(Fridge, Shia swinging with the monkeys), but its not bad by any means.

Oh and for me:

1. Raiders 10/10
2. Last Crusade 10/10
3. Crystal Skull 8/10
4. Doom 7.5/10

I enjoy all of them.

 

[Roose Bolton]

The main reason why I rate KOTCS lower than the rest is because I didn't like the character of Mutt Williams and I thought that Shia was really bad in the role (I think he's bad in every role).

You know what I would have preferred? The daughter aspect from Frank Darabont's old Indy 4 script back when they wanted Natalie Portman in the role. That would have been a great addition to the mythos.