What's your opinion on (Indiana Jones and The) Raiders of The Lost Ark ?

[LvtLeeTDK]

Honestly, I tried to like it but I just couldn't.

Many would say that it was made 30 years ago, hence you need to watch it within context and nostalgia. But the problem is, I enjoy the Star Wars Original Trilogy, love Back To The Future and they were made at the same time with the Indy franchise. I just don't see what's so special about Raiders. The acting is cringey, the dialogue is terribly cheesy, there are so many absurd coincedences and plot points (especially with the fat guy), the fight scene is just so lame.

So my question is: consider action movie standard nowadays, is Raiders of The Lost Ark still a good movie ?

Note that this is just my opinion. I respect the movie as a classic. Just don't get it.

 

[Schlosser85]

I consider it one of the best action-adventure movies ever made, and think it still mostly holds up. There's some cheesy dated '80s special effects, but still a solid movie. IMO.

 

[Aximili86]

Jesus Christ, LvtLeeTDK, you poor, lost soul.

 

[LvtLeeTDK]

Tell you what. I love SW Original Trilogy and Back To The Future is one of my favorite films.

Just don't understand why I don't like Raiders tbh LOL.

 

[Aximili86]

OT Star Wars and Raiders are basically identical in tone, though. If anything, Raiders is probably less cheesy/cringey.

I mean, to each their own, but...

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

It's a masterpiece. Easily the best Lucasfilm (yeah, I know Spielberg directed it, but Kennedy, Marshall, Lucas and Kasdan played a huge role) ever.

I don't know how you can dislike Raiders and like true adventure movies. Raiders takes the goofy 1920s-40s serials and strings them together with a good plot. The villain is one of the most memorable in film, even though he's less scary than the traditional archetype. The action is heart-pounding.

The use of hard, orange-tinted Tungsten lights give it a feel of a black-and-white film, but with a sepia-Technicolor look. The sound design is legendary (I redid an audio bit for school, and even with modern mastering technology I still feel that the "punches" were lacking) and the music by John Williams even more so.

The plot is somewhat marred by the inevitable knock-offs, but still engaging enough to stand on its own. And the final surprise is as satisfying as it is horrifying. I'm not as much of a Ravenwood fan, but she's still the most assertive woman in the Indy franchise-more freespirited than the hapless Willie, and less generic than Elsa.

Harrison Ford might have "acted" better in his later movies like Blade Runner and The Fugitive, but his persona and throwback iconography blend together the best in this movie. It really can't be the best Indy without Harrison, although I like (to a lesser extent) the more suave and Professorish quality in the "talkie" adventure games with Doug Lee. Anyway, when he moves in to frame, there's no other actor (sorry Shia).

As for the direction, Spielberg is at the top of his peak. You could say that Raiders is a little "overcooked" (every scene was storyboarded) but to imply a level of incompetence would be just wrong.

Tonally, it fluctuates between being brutally realistic and a cartoon, yet somehow works.

The only "bad" moment in the film is when the snakes crawl out of the mummies. That's really immature-gross for the sake of gross- but the rest of the movie does not stoop that low (that's what Temple of Doom is for :P)

It ranks highly as one of the best blockbusters, and probably among the very best films ever made.

 

[Aximili86]

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

It is one of my absolute favorite movies ever made. It is arguably Spielberg's best film, and the only reason I consider it arguable is because Jaws exists.

 

[STARMAN]

Always loved Raiders.

 

[Mysteryman]

Raiders is my favorite action film.

 

[Spider-Fan]

It is one of my absolute favorite movies ever made. It is arguably Spielberg's best film, and the only reason I consider it arguable is because Jaws exists.

I would say Schindler's List is Spielberg's best film, but Raiders is certainly top 3 easily.

 

[LvtLeeTDK]

Well I assume y'all watched it long ago, right ? Before 2000s maybe ?

Thing is, I've just watched it 2 hours ago, so, yeah...

 

[Pennywise]

It's the best one in the series for me!

 

[Mysteryman]

Well I assume y'all watched it long ago, right ? Before 2000s maybe ?

Thing is, I've just watched it 2 hours ago, so, yeah...

Watching long ago or today doesn't change the actual quality of the movie.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Well I assume y'all watched it long ago, right ? Before 2000s maybe ?

Thing is, I've just watched it 2 hours ago, so, yeah...

Dude, I have seen it like 100 times!

 

[LvtLeeTDK]

Dude, I have seen it like 100 times!

I'm talking about 1st viewing.

Watching long ago or today doesn't change the actual quality of the movie.

Actually it does. I'm sure that watching A New Hope back in 1977 was a marvelous experience, but most of moviegoers in my country (cinema and internet virtually didn't exist until 2004) really don't like Star Wars that much.

 

[The Big G]

a masterpiece

 

[Brother Jack]

Raiders is my favorite action film.

It's THE action/adventure film. It's the benchmark for every other movie in the genre. Spielberg defined a genre with Raiders in a way he's not done with any other of his films.

 

[LvtLeeTDK]

Well. Maybe I'm gonna watch it again tomorrow.

Blade Runner and Raiders are 2 classics of 80s, 90s that I can't comprehend or enjoy. I like SW, love Back To The Future. I consider The Fugitive and Goodfellas to be 2 of the best movies ever made, Close Encounter is a masterpiece. Vertigo (1958) is just fantastic,etc. Blade Runner and Raiders are the only exceptions (Ironically, my favorite film is Blade Runner 2049)

 

[Flint Marko]

Count me as someone else who holds up Raiders as not only the best action/adventure film ever made, but easily one of the best movies ever made period. I've had a Raiders poster on my wall for years and it ain't coming down any time soon.

That said, I do understand how watching a beloved movie as an adult can completely divorce you from the experience. You spend so much of the movie probably going "huh? This is what all that fuss was about?" I understand because I'm that way with the first three Star Wars movies.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

It's a masterpiece. Easily the best Lucasfilm (yeah, I know Spielberg directed it, but Kennedy, Marshall, Lucas and Kasdan played a huge role) ever.

I don't know how you can dislike Raiders and like true adventure movies. Raiders takes the goofy 1920s-40s serials and strings them together with a good plot. The villain is one of the most memorable in film, even though he's less scary than the traditional archetype. The action is heart-pounding.

The use of hard, orange-tinted Tungsten lights give it a feel of a black-and-white film, but with a sepia-Technicolor look. The sound design is legendary (I redid an audio bit for school, and even with modern mastering technology I still feel that the "punches" were lacking) and the music by John Williams even more so.

The plot is somewhat marred by the inevitable knock-offs, but still engaging enough to stand on its own. And the final surprise is as satisfying as it is horrifying. I'm not as much of a Ravenwood fan, but she's still the most assertive woman in the Indy franchise-more freespirited than the hapless Willie, and less generic than Elsa.

Harrison Ford might have "acted" better in his later movies like Blade Runner and The Fugitive, but his persona and throwback iconography blend together the best in this movie. It really can't be the best Indy without Harrison, although I like (to a lesser extent) the more suave and Professorish quality in the "talkie" adventure games with Doug Lee. Anyway, when he moves in to frame, there's no other actor (sorry Shia).

As for the direction, Spielberg is at the top of his peak. You could say that Raiders is a little "overcooked" (every scene was storyboarded) but to imply a level of incompetence would be just wrong.

Tonally, it fluctuates between being brutally realistic and a cartoon, yet somehow works.

The only "bad" moment in the film is when the snakes crawl out of the mummies. That's really immature-gross for the sake of gross- but the rest of the movie does not stoop that low (that's what Temple of Doom is for :P)

It ranks highly as one of the best blockbusters, and probably among the very best films ever made.