Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Writers: Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay), George Lucas (story), Phillip Kaufman (story)
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies, Ronald Lacey, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina, Wolf Kahler
Synopsis:
In 1936, renowned archaeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do. Unfortunately, the Nazis have enlisted the help of Indy's rival, Belloq (Freeman), who usually manages to best our hero at every turn. But Indy has the help of former flame Marion (Allen), who holds a key piece to the puzzle, and his friend Sallah (Rhys-Davies), the best digger in Egypt. Will Indy secure one of the greatest artifacts in history, or will the Nazis unleash its power upon mankind? Cinematic history ensues.
First Impressions:
I was 5 years old when this movie hit theaters and, thus, could not see it on the big screen. However, I was able to view it on home video a few years later. In this blog, I've talked many times about movies that have had a major impact on me, such as Star Wars and The Goonies, but this one may top the list for me. When I watched it for the first time, I was equal parts terrified, excited, and enthralled. I had never seen anything like it before. Even George Lucas' seminal space opera paled in comparison. If I had to pinpoint the source of my love of film, it's probably Raiders of the Lost Ark. I haven't watched it in a while, and I'm excited to view it with my critical eye. So, without further ado, let's jump into one of the greatest adventures ever put to celluloid.
Story/Direction:
"Jones, do you realize what the Ark is? It's a transmitter. It's a radio for speaking to God. And it's within my reach."
Spielberg and Lucas' intent with this film was to capture the feel of the Saturday morning serials that they grew up watching, and they nailed that feeling with ease. Just like those old shows, the film doesn't necessarily have a deep story, and it's pretty much just a "race to the Maguffin" type of film. That's okay, though, because what the film lacks in the story makes up for interesting characters. It's primarily an adventure film, but Spielberg sprinkles in a good amount of horror and action beats to mix things up. The movie is paced well, and the nearly 2 -hour runtime flies by as it jumps from one great scene to the next. While it doesn't have the deepest of stories, it also doesn't feel as though it's just a collection of barely-connected set pieces that just mask a poor narrative. No, there's an interesting story here; it's just not that deep. And you know what? It doesn't need to have one. It just needs to be entertaining.
That's not to say there aren't any blemishes to be found here. In the age of the internet, there have been many discussions regarding this film's rather obvious plot holes. First and foremost is the criticism that Indiana Jones is irrelevant to the story's outcome. While that complaint is valid, I can overlook it because this film is all about the journey, not the destination, and it nails the journey. Without veering into spoiler territory, the other major complaint is the controversy surrounding the submarine. Again, this is a valid complaint, and again, I'm going to justify it (sue me, it's my blog, after all). If the submarine took a bigger part of the story, rather than just a means to get from Point A to Point B, it would have a more negative impact on the overall story. It's really more of a "hey, how did he do that?" kind of thing. I've heard there's a deleted scene that fixes this particular plot hole, but until it's actually included in the film, it doesn't count. That being said, these complaints appear as mere quibbles in my eyes and don't take at all away from my enjoyment of the film, and if there's anyone out there that says it does for them, then they just hate joy.
Acting/Characters:
Let's start with the man, the myth, the legend, Harrison Ford, as Indiana Jones. With all due respect to Han Solo, this is the role that catapulted Ford's career into one of the greatest leading men of the 80s and 90s. Jones is such an interesting and faceted character, which is why it's easy to overlook the film's story flaws. The character combines a distinct roguish quality with deep intelligence and a world-weary exasperation that just doesn't have time for your shit. He's one of cinema's best action heroes, and Ford is a major reason for this.
Meanwhile, Marion, played ably by Karen Allen, builds off of the template set by Princess Leia in Star Wars. She's formidable, she's feisty, and she's more than a match for Jones and anybody else that gets in her way. While it's true that Indy needs to come to her rescue at a couple of points during the film, she's never "helpless," and she's always working on some sort of plan. Additionally, her introduction in the film's first act may be one of the best character introductions in film history.
The rest of the cast is fantastic, with John Rhys-Davies' Sallah leading the way. Sallah was originally written as a small, unassuming man, but Rhys-Davies' considerable charisma forced Spielberg to cast him as Indy's buddy. Paul Freeman also deserves kudos for playing the movie's primary antagonist, Belloq. He's the intellectual equal to the hero, but he's willing to compromise his ethics to find the treasure, and it makes the audience loathe him. I also have to give a big shoutout to the film's secondary antagonist, Toht, played creepily by Ronald Lacey. I always felt uncomfortable when this character appeared on screen when I was younger, though I never knew why. As an adult, I get it, and that's a testament to Lacy's efforts with the character.
Visual/Special Effects:
One must remember that this film was made more than 40 years ago (Gawd, I'm old), so some of the special effects appear quite dated. Oddly enough, that actually works in the film's favor because Spielberg really wanted to give it a B-movie type of feel. However, that doesn't mean it all looks terrible. In fact, most of the effects still look pretty good. This includes melting faces, angelic spirits, and energy beams. It all still holds up for the most part. There is some iffy greenscreen, but that's no biggie. I also have to mention the production design, making the ancient ruins look authentic.
Score/Soundtrack:
It's a Steven Spielberg film, so of course, we're going to be talking about the great John Williams' music. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Williams is without a doubt the greatest film composer of all time. His theme for Raiders is one of the most recognizable pieces of music ever, but it's not just Indy's theme that resonates; Williams also nails the quiet moments with Marion and the intense moments with the Ark. Of course, I find myself whistling the Raiders theme at any point, even if I haven't seen the film in years. It's just that good. We don't deserve John Williams.
Action:
While I wouldn't classify this film as an "action" film, it really makes its mark with its action scenes. The film starts with a terrific escape from an ancient Mayan ruin, including the famous boulder scene. The audience is also treated to a terrific chase through the streets of Cairo, culminating in one of cinema's most satisfying misdirects. The best action sequence in the film has to be the fight for the truck carrying the Ark. It's just edge-of-the-seat kind of stuff.
Final Verdict:
I still love this movie, and I don't think that will ever change. It's really just a fantastic and fun movie. So if you're one of those folks that have been living under a rock for the past 40 years, watch this movie. Watch it now. Right now, go!
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