Raiders of the Lost Ark Review

 

        In the 1980s, Steven Spielberg owned the decade. With him as a director, producer, and getting into television. He could do no wrong. The film that really started his rise further into cinema’s beloved is with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Alongside his Southern California classmate George Lucas, they crafted a unique hero that harkens back to the adventure serials back when they were young. And, Steven Spielberg wanted to make a James Bond film but was not allowed. Lucas decided that the two of them should create their own hero. The rest as they say is history. 

1. Indiana Jones

        Harrison Ford plays our lovable archeologist. When we first see him trekking somewhere in South America, we immediately assume that he’s just a treasure hunter. Until it’s established later that he is a professor of archeology. Then later he is commissioned by an associate for Army Intelligence to get an artifact before the Nazi’s get their hands on it. 

        He enjoys hunting for the treasures since it’s something that he loves to do. As well that he is knowledgeable on their origins. Like when he and the agents from Army Intelligence talk about the Ark of the Covenant. He doesn’t believe most of it and has basic idea of what the Ark is used for. 

        The great thing about him is that he has help for finding the Ark. Like an old love who was related to a professor when he was in college and an excavator in Cairo. Their synergy works since Jones isn’t a treasure hunter who wants to keep the items for himself. For him, it’s to conserve it for history.

Another great thing is that Jones knows how to get the treasure. It’s established earlier when getting the golden idol that he knows where the traps are. Specifically where the ones filled with poisoned darts and spears. I think the best one is finding where specifically the Ark is. It’s a great moment and of course, he has to log it in his journal.

        Since I briefly talked about some 80s action films, Indy isn’t one who has a big muscles or has a walking assortment of weapons. He’s an everyman who makes up his plan as he goes along. The thing I noticed since reviewing Robocop and First Blood is that the protagonist has enough depth where they are put in extraordinary situations. They are the opposite of the muscle bounded heroes that they use their wits to outsmart the bad guys. 

2. Treasure Hunt

        Jones has competition other than the Nazis; Rene Belloq is his antithesis. When they meet up in South America, he takes the golden idol away from him. It’s something that happens every time they cross each other. He even mocks him that he gets to collect the stuff Indy finds just for himself. 

        The reoccurring thing that he says to him is that they are alike. Both are archeologists, hired by respective governments to get a key relic of the past. The only difference is that Belloq is doing it since the Colonel that is assigned to him tells Rene that Hitler wants to use the Ark as a weapon. You can think of him as an archeologist but he steals for nefarious purposes. I find it kind of odd as to why would Hitler use the Ark since it’s a famous Jewish artifact. Even the colonel tells Belloq that he feels uncomfortable with the Jewish tradition surrounding it. 

Interesting enough, for as much as we want Indy at least get one treasure in this quest, he never gets the thing. You can say that it’s a sacrifice since he doesn’t want to invoke the power of God. To me, it gives him more of a character growth since he’s not one to look for prestige. Especially when he threatens Belloq by destroying the Ark with an RPG so that no one can get it.

3. Faith

        Aside from the treasure hunt between Jones and Belloq is this idea of faith. It’s established earlier that Jones doesn’t believe in anything and just the facts that surround the Ark of the Covenant. You can’t blame him since he just sees archeology as just a relic of its time. Although, when he gets word of the Ark, he knows the basic gist of it, but goes so far as to not really believing any of it. The little moments where Indy is near an artifact that relates to the Ark the wind starts to pick up. It’s only alluded to that it can be a warning. Although, when Indy is near the Ark a literal storm arrives, clearly God is not subtle in the least bit. 

        I think it works well with Indy’s character growth since he wants to see the Ark since the only thing it has going for is just stuff he learned from Sunday school and the Bible. The part when he and Marion get kidnapped and the Nazis open the Ark is probably the best moment. It’s simply great seeing Nazis getting killed and getting their comeuppance. 

4. Overall 

        Need I say more? It kicked off a series of films and television series that shows Indy during his youth. There is a 5th movie coming out from director James Mangold, who directed Ford v Ferrari and Logan. Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the best action movie and Spielberg film. 

        Raiders of the Lost Ark gets a five out of five.