Review: Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark opened on June 12, 1981. The classic adventure film starred Harrison Ford and was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Synopsis:

Archaeologist Indiana Jones has been hired by the United States government to find the Ark of the Covenant. Adolf Hitler and his Nazi army are also after the artifact and its mysterious power. Jones tracks down his long lost love, Marion, to help him keep the Ark out of the hands of evil.

Positives:

• Harrison Ford is perfectly cast as Indiana Jones. Jones is vulnerable and human, but at the same time you believe he can single handily defeat an entire Nazi army. Ford’s performance allows the film to work.

• The script is beautifully structured and never gets bloated with exposition. The dialog is wonderfully written and the entire script features many memorable lines.

• The action is perfectly staged and executed. Every action scene in Raiders features dazzling stunts and genuine innovation.

• The score by John Williams is perfect. It helps to elevate the film’s sense of adventure and the heroics of Indiana Jones.

In Closing:

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a perfect film in my mind. The action, characters and story blend together in a magical way. Steven Spielberg never lets the pace slow down and you are constantly moving from one iconic set piece to the next. This is arguably Ford’s best performance in his long career as a movie star. Raiders of the Lost Ark is Steven Spielberg’s greatest piece of popcorn filmmaking.

Rating: A+