by Max Scheinin Read more of Max's reviews at http://www.gafieldlib.com/yanews/july97/max/max.html
Raiders Of The Lost Ark could be called a perfect film. It begins with a stretch of virtuoso filmmaking in which every minute looks polished and perfect but never overdone. ( I would willingly compare it to the opening wedding sequence of The Godfather. ) When I recently saw the video on sale I snapped up a copy ( for a generous $8.50 ) and watched it that very night. It doesn't accomplish what it wants to; it accomplishes MORE then it wants to. It wants only to entertain; it becomes, in that much over-used cinematic term, a roller-coaster ride. In the first scene Indy must swipe a golden idol from a huge temple; Threats? Alone in that one scene, we have spiders and pits and snakes - Indy HATES snakes - and rolling boulders and scheming proffesors and savage indians. You may find yourself laughing in both suprise ( there's a terrific moment revolving around Indy's whip ) and relief ( "Get a backbone" may not sound particularly funny out of context, but in Lawrence Kasdan's superb script it's hilarious ). Pauline Kael called it impersonal and, though I'm ashamed to admit it, she might be right; that is to say there's nobody to identify with. ( Although all actors are in top form; Harrison Ford, in particular, was never any better. ) But I think she might have missed the point. It's a throwback to old saturday morning serials and it creates an entire unverse that works wonderfully ( though only when seen on it's own terms. ) I watched it last night too, and at the same moments I held my breath and looked on, spellbound. I think I might watch it again tonight or tommorow. That's how well it holds up. I could never say this about any of the Star Wars films. ( I saw Return Of The Jedi twice, within two weeks, and upon the second viewing it was tedious. ) You leave with a smile in your heart and a grin on your face.
In fact it's such a good opening that there wasn't much of a chance that a sequel would live up to our high standards. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom is a movie that inspires powerful reactions. You don't like "like" it. You love it ( as does my friend Paul ) or you hate it ( there's me. ) I've seen it twice, and only on a sceond viewing did I realize what a ludicrous film it is. It's chalk full of men from forgein countries who eat eyeballs and little forgein boys who drive around yelling things like "Oh no, Indy, look big slimy snakes" etc. You may leave feeling as if the movie wanted to entertain you a little too much. Spielberg wasn't willing to let it simply unspool before our eyes; instead he had to make it clear that he was working hard behind the camera ( and as far as I know it's the only bad movie he's ever made. ) You can hear him saying: "Look at me, I'm entertaining you with all of these daring adventures ( aren't I? ) look, Indy's crossing a bridge, will he make it (?), oh no." You can hear me saying: "Damn it Steve, just let me watch the movie, OK?".
As for the conclusion of the trilogy, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, it returns to the look and feel of the first movie with a string of adventures that has you hooked from the begining to the end. It's a bit uneven but after the dud that was the second film who am I to complain? In fact it's really quite good at times ( although it never can get up there with Raiders Of The Lost Ark. ) The end is really the problem. It's a little to jokey. We should leave, still wondering what comes next. Instead we learn that Indy is named after a dog and that doesn't really let us ponder over what has just happened. The first film ended with that magical little shot inside the wherehouse, but I am almost afraid that Spielberg has lost his magic touch. Both Jurassic Park films were exciting and well done, but there was never any sense of wonder when we saw the dinosaurs. Can he ever recover this? I hope so. For now, as we wait, we can rewatch his earlier projects and pray.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: A+ Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom: F Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade: B+
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