In 1936, the US government enlists the aid of American archaeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant – the final resting place of the Ten Commandments – before a group of Nazis can secure it for Adolf Hitler and unleash its rumored supernatural power on the world.
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While most people relate Indiana Jones to the not-so-good newer films like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, there’s a whole generation that grew up on the classics, like Raiders of the Lost Ark. Would it still be as good as it once seemed, or would time have ruined another film?
There’s a reason the Indiana Jones franchise has lasted as long as it has, and that falls solely on Harrison Ford. While it’s true even he can’t save bad storylines (or defeat his worst enemy, old age), he’s exceptional in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The character still seems fresh and vibrant, and Ford is at his best playing this character in his heyday. The rest of the cast doesn’t quite match up, with the exception of John Rhys-Davies, who turns in a solid performance as well.
The character, though, is what viewers have been drawn back to over the years. Seemingly a play on Superman’s dual identity, the mild-manned Professor Jones gets flustered with unwanted attention from a student, just like a nerdy Clark Kent. But, when he dons his hat, leather jacket and whip, it’s another story. With nothing able to defeat him, he braves his way through crazy dangers. The famous fear of snakes only heightens his heroism, just like Kryptonite to Superman. Even when faced with snakes, however, he braves his way through his fear with a grim determination that’s admirable – rather than going all weak in the knees like a certain tights-wearing alien.
The storyline tackles the issue of a religious artifact without getting tied down in the religious aspects. That’s something that is hard to do, but Raiders of the Lost Ark manages with ease. While the main prize of the film is the famous Ark of the Covenant, the film is actually more focused on Indy, giving the viewer a good look at this new hero.
The whole film gives off a throwback feel to the swashbuckling Errol Flynn days, with Indy as the handsome do-gooder. He dashes about, saving the day while courting the lovely lady (Karen Allen), but without that cheesy bravado. True, things are changed up a bit (the girl in this case can drink a man under the table and socks him one when they first meet), but that just adds to the entertainment here. It also manages to make this throwback feel less dated, as while it still includes a damsel in distress, it also manages to feel surprisingly refreshing.
Today, many films are going for the dark, tortured hero, battling the demons of his past while still trying to do the right thing. Raiders of the Lost Ark hearkens back to a simpler time, where good was good and evil was Nazis – and it’s still fun to watch. The hero is easy to root for, since he doesn’t have a dark side. And, since the enemy is all bad, they are just as easy to boo. It’s too bad future films have strayed too far from the formula, and ended up milking this cash cow dry.
