(This review contains some spoilers.)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has the best script, the best action and the best characters of all the Indy films. Raiders of the Lost Ark is good too (and Temple of Doom is horrific), but Last Crusade shines the brightest of the original three, mainly because of the pitch-perfect father and son chemistry between Sean Connery and Harrison Ford.
The plot sees Indy (Ford) once again involved in a global quest to find a mythical MacGuffin - this time being the Holy Grail, which is by far the best of the Indiana Jones items (far more fleshed out than the Ark of the Covenant, and far more interesting than the Sankara Stones). However, this time he has to also journey with his dad, Henry Jones (Connery), and evade the Nazis, who, of course, want the power for themselves. Indy and his dad have to battle Germans, survive booby-traps and tie-up personal issues if they want to stop the evil forces from claiming the cup of everlasting life...
Right off, the opening (like the two films before it) is thrilling and enjoyable, and gives our titular protagonist some backstory. After that, we are introduced to Walter Donovan (Julian Glover), a wealthy art collector who hires Indy to find the Grail. We end up in Venice, and after meeting Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), we are immediately thrust into a eerie search in an underground catacomb, followed by a high-speed chase through Venice docks. And the pace and action never let up from here.
At the start of the Second Act, we finally are introduced to the film's biggest asset - the heartwarming and humour-filled chemistry between Connery and Ford. There is also a fourth-wall joke in this, as Connery of course played James Bond, and the Indiana Jones series was inspired by the British spy's adventures. Back to the film, and the entire middle act is made up of non-stop action and wit, from a Austrian Castle, to a Mountain-side chase, to Berlin, to a Zeppelin, to a Plane chase and, finally, the huge tank chase through the desert.
It is some of the most entertaining action stuff in the world, although if Connery was not here it would not be half as good. As the ending closes in, it is surprisingly (and brilliantly) not more action - after all, after the Tank chase another big fight would finally lead to utter exhaustion. Instead, the climax is emotion-driven, with Indy racing through the booby-traps of the Grail, in order to save his father. The traps are clever and twisty, and the ultimate resolution ties up all loose ends. And, of course, we get another horrific villain death in the form of, this time, rapid ageing and disintegrating. Great stuff, and it didn't have to be as graphic and disturbing as Temple of Doom to do it.
The main villain is, ultimately, weak, and the plot is serviceable but a little everywhere, but Last Crusade by far my favourite of the trilogy (although I can understand the grand-standing opinion that Raiders is better, and the idea that Temple could be considered better is outrageous). The brief love-story may stumble, but the near-perfect script, acting and action are impossible to beat. The pacing is swift and fluid, the variety in locations is everywhere, the comedy is brilliant and witty, and, of course, the pairing of Connery and Ford as father and son is just amazing. Most of the film is them together, and there is never a dull moment. A well-deserved 9.0 out of 10.
Content Advisory: Sex: Some kissing, love story. Violence: Lots and lots, but mostly light, several instances of blood (through far less frequent than Raiders and Temple). A man is beheaded near the end, and many explosions. The tank chase has three brief instances of injury detail. Scare factor: The Venice catacombs scene is filled with rats and skeletons, and is dimly lit, making it eerie. The traps at the end are perilous, and the villains death is rather disturbing and horrific. Other than that, slightly tamer than Raiders and miles less scary than Temple. Swearing: Damn, one incorrect use of Jesus Christ (which is then called blasphemy by the characters in the film). Other: Mild smoking, mild drinking. Deals with Nazism, through lightly.
Best Quotes: "He choose... poorly." "I'm sorry son... they got us." "My son would not be so stupid... wait, you did?" "No ticket!"
Best Moment: The Grail Knight at the finale. Worst Moment: Elsa and Indy's love scene.
Thank you for reading.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has the best script, the best action and the best characters of all the Indy films. Raiders of the Lost Ark is good too (and Temple of Doom is horrific), but Last Crusade shines the brightest of the original three, mainly because of the pitch-perfect father and son chemistry between Sean Connery and Harrison Ford.
The plot sees Indy (Ford) once again involved in a global quest to find a mythical MacGuffin - this time being the Holy Grail, which is by far the best of the Indiana Jones items (far more fleshed out than the Ark of the Covenant, and far more interesting than the Sankara Stones). However, this time he has to also journey with his dad, Henry Jones (Connery), and evade the Nazis, who, of course, want the power for themselves. Indy and his dad have to battle Germans, survive booby-traps and tie-up personal issues if they want to stop the evil forces from claiming the cup of everlasting life...
Right off, the opening (like the two films before it) is thrilling and enjoyable, and gives our titular protagonist some backstory. After that, we are introduced to Walter Donovan (Julian Glover), a wealthy art collector who hires Indy to find the Grail. We end up in Venice, and after meeting Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), we are immediately thrust into a eerie search in an underground catacomb, followed by a high-speed chase through Venice docks. And the pace and action never let up from here.
At the start of the Second Act, we finally are introduced to the film's biggest asset - the heartwarming and humour-filled chemistry between Connery and Ford. There is also a fourth-wall joke in this, as Connery of course played James Bond, and the Indiana Jones series was inspired by the British spy's adventures. Back to the film, and the entire middle act is made up of non-stop action and wit, from a Austrian Castle, to a Mountain-side chase, to Berlin, to a Zeppelin, to a Plane chase and, finally, the huge tank chase through the desert.
It is some of the most entertaining action stuff in the world, although if Connery was not here it would not be half as good. As the ending closes in, it is surprisingly (and brilliantly) not more action - after all, after the Tank chase another big fight would finally lead to utter exhaustion. Instead, the climax is emotion-driven, with Indy racing through the booby-traps of the Grail, in order to save his father. The traps are clever and twisty, and the ultimate resolution ties up all loose ends. And, of course, we get another horrific villain death in the form of, this time, rapid ageing and disintegrating. Great stuff, and it didn't have to be as graphic and disturbing as Temple of Doom to do it.
The main villain is, ultimately, weak, and the plot is serviceable but a little everywhere, but Last Crusade by far my favourite of the trilogy (although I can understand the grand-standing opinion that Raiders is better, and the idea that Temple could be considered better is outrageous). The brief love-story may stumble, but the near-perfect script, acting and action are impossible to beat. The pacing is swift and fluid, the variety in locations is everywhere, the comedy is brilliant and witty, and, of course, the pairing of Connery and Ford as father and son is just amazing. Most of the film is them together, and there is never a dull moment. A well-deserved 9.0 out of 10.
Content Advisory: Sex: Some kissing, love story. Violence: Lots and lots, but mostly light, several instances of blood (through far less frequent than Raiders and Temple). A man is beheaded near the end, and many explosions. The tank chase has three brief instances of injury detail. Scare factor: The Venice catacombs scene is filled with rats and skeletons, and is dimly lit, making it eerie. The traps at the end are perilous, and the villains death is rather disturbing and horrific. Other than that, slightly tamer than Raiders and miles less scary than Temple. Swearing: Damn, one incorrect use of Jesus Christ (which is then called blasphemy by the characters in the film). Other: Mild smoking, mild drinking. Deals with Nazism, through lightly.
Best Quotes: "He choose... poorly." "I'm sorry son... they got us." "My son would not be so stupid... wait, you did?" "No ticket!"
Best Moment: The Grail Knight at the finale. Worst Moment: Elsa and Indy's love scene.
Thank you for reading.