I am undecided whether this is a big franchise or not? It is a franchise that is embedded into popular culture; everyone knows about these films. But it is no one’s favourite franchise, at least who I know of, and it is rarely mentioned in the same breath as some of the other big franchises. Maybe I hang around in the wrong circles or maybe this franchise is just that. A very successful, culturally significant franchise that people are not as bothered about as other franchises. It is definitely that for me, but maybe this viewing will change all of that. Welcome to ‘Franchise Friday’ does ‘Indiana Jones’.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
I realised something when re-watching this film, and it as that I think this might be only the second or third time, I have seen it all the way from start to finish. What makes that more surprising is that, despite that, I feel like I have seen it a hundred times just by how much of it I know and remember. And that is because this film is iconic. Even people who have never seen it will recognise its imagery, the dialogue, and the absolutely killer score from the incomparable John Williams. This film lands in that era where Steven Spielberg was the Blockbuster king and his qualities as a filmmaker shine through. This film is a pure, rip-roaring adventure and it is a ton of fun. Right from the opening moments when the boulder is chasing Indiana Jones through the cave until the very final moments where you see Nazis heads explode and melt it is exhilarating, barely giving you time to breath. It also knows exactly the tone it needs which is one that isn’t too serious. That doesn’t mean that the film is a comedy, although it is funny at times, but it is happy to play up its characters to be more caricatures than real people and this helps to keep the film light hearted and fun despite the Nazis having their heads explode and faces melted off. I know I mentioned that already, but it remains I genuinely gobsmacking moment in the film, and the effects still hold up really well. And I couldn’t do a review of this film without mentioning Harrison Ford. I think it is hard to say which of Indiana Jones and Han Solo is a more iconic Ford role, but he is perfect in it and it is hard to imagine anybody else being able to play this character. He carries himself brilliantly in the action scenes, handles the more comedic aspects really well, and you also believe he is a genuine Doctor of Archaeology when h starts spouting off about it. Without his performance I don’t think the film is half the quality that it is.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
I have the opposite experience of watching this film as I must have seen it dozens of times. I also relate this film heavily to Christmas so I am assuming it must be one of those films that is on circulation every year at that time. But maybe it isn’t, and I am just going mad. This also feels like the most polarizing film of the franchise, I that many people and may people don’t like it. I land more on the former of those two feelings, but after seeing the film again for the first time in a while I do understand more the reasons people don’t like it. First of all, the character of Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) is so damn annoying. I don’t blame Capshaw so much for this as the way this character is written they no actor could make that character any less annoying. Also, the film is airing on the side of cultural insensitivity which is pretty awkward to watch. And, finally, the film is just particular dumb. Now, the first film was also dumb, but this takes it up a level, taking that tone of being a fun adventure to the max. But, saying that, it also has the darker aspects that existed in that first film. Whereas ‘Raiders’ had face melting Nazi’s this film has the villain taking peoples still beating hearts out of their chest and holding them a loft as they set on fire. Just read how insane that is for a film which is also so damn ridiculous, with an ending that effectively is just watching people on a roller coaster. Personally, I am more than happy to buy into the absolutely ridiculous nature of the film, and I think that’s why I still enjoy it. The film starts with what is effectively Indiana Jones playing James Bond for gods sake, what isn’t to love. And Harrison Ford remains superb in the role so that give the film a big boost. So yeah, I understand people not liking it but I still feel like it has merit and is a fun time. This also isn’t the last time I will be watching it I can tell you that much.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
This is the one film in the franchise that I have never actually seen before, at least not all the way through. I had seen some scenes beforehand and I knew the general story going in, so I wasn’t completely blind. But I don’t think I was expecting this film to be as funny as it was going to be. Genuinely I laughed out loud on more than one occasion throughout the runtime. And this wasn’t by accident, this film is trying to b funny and it damn well succeeds. It often times feels like one of the more ridiculous James Bond films mixed with a Looney Tunes cartoon. There is literally a moment in the film where someone runs into a building only to find that it is in fact the back of a van bloody Child Snatcher style. That is silly, but it completely matches the tone of the rest of the film, so it works. The Nazis are also back in this film, and we even get a cameo from Hitler himself, and it is always fun watching Nazis get their comeuppance. But it is the chemistry between Harrison Ford and the late Sean Connery which really makes this film shine. They feel like they have a genuine relationship with each other, and they play off one another brilliantly well. They work well in the action scenes while also having great comedic chops. Speaking of actions scenes, there are several great ones in this film, and this may be the pinnacle of action for the franchise. I can’t quite believe I had never seen this film before. It is right up my street, being a brilliant mix of absolute silly madness mixed with another serious moments to not become a complete farce. From start to finish it is an absolute riot and it may just be my favourite of the franchise. You might think that I am getting ahead of myself with that statement seeing as I have only seen it once, and that’s fair. You may also be thinking that there is still one more film in the franchise that could be my favourite. But for anyone who has seen the last film in this franchise, you know that isn’t a possibility.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
This remains the worst of the franchise, and yet it is the one I have seen the second most amount of times. I watched it in the cinema and then on DVD more times than I would like to admit. Does this mean I like the film more than is merited? Maybe. But I also genuinely don’t think the film is as horrendous as most other people seem to. In fact, for the first hour I think it is pretty damn solid. After that first hour it drives pretty quickly down a rather steep hill (so to speak) but you know, you win some you lose some. It helps that the film is now set in the 50s and so has that American 50s aesthetic that I really like, but it also feels like an Indiana Jones film for that first hour. It has the silly action with Indy quipping away, as well as all the exploring new places to find ancient artifacts. It isn’t as engaging as any of the other three even in this first hour, but it is solid enough and I enjoy it until it goes all in on the aliens stuff (I know they are said to be interdimensional beings but they’re aliens). I even like Shia LaBeouf as Mutt Williams, a greaser with a bad attitude who folles Indy on his adventure. I think he plays the character well and it allows for decent back and forth between the two characters. Cate Blanchett is fine as the villain, but she is basically just playing your standard Russian stereotype so isn’t all that interesting. And then of course the second hour happens, and we have aliens, and swinging with monkeys, and driving cars onto trees, and several more moments of ridiculous madness that don’t work. The other films in the franchise are also silly, but this film feels like it jumped the shark in that respect. It also just gets boring towards the end and I found it hard to care anymore. I don’t hate it, far from it in fact, but it is easily the weakest of the franchise and I doubt I will be watching it again.
So, there was only one real surprise with this franchise, which is unsurprising seeing as two of the films I have seen countless times and the other one that I had seen is also so deeply intrenched into popular culture. But I think that says a lot about the franchise, in that it is an endlessly rewatchable one. These films are not high art (although I think some people might make the case for ‘Raiders’) but in terms of a genuinely fun, exciting, emotional movie you can’t go to wrong. That also being said, I don’t think I love any of these films even if I really like (almost) all of them, and that is okay. It is still a hugely enjoyable and very solid franchise, if you ignore the last hour of the last film. And some parts of the second one. If you can ignore that it is a very solid franchise that I will definitely becoming back to.