Raiders of the Lost Ark1981

86/100 I already knew Harrison Ford from the Star Wars franchise, and so was eager to see how Spielberg would handle him here, even more so once I learned George Lucas was involved, and much to my joy, they work together to deliver a great, fun adventure film. Given that this is the first film in the franchise, you'd expect some sort of explanation, and there is, somewhat. There is a lack of exposition about the hero as one would expect at the start, but really this is made up for as you basically learn all about him through two factors of the opening scene: the intense action, showcasing his expertise, and Ford's talent as an actor. Ford really works well here, playing this sort of morally dubious star who subverts the conventions of the genre. However, he still manages to give Indiana Jones enough charisma that you're rooting for him throughout. The plot itself is simple enough, but it works. It helps the audience focus on the characters more while still having enough mystery to it to not feel barebones. There's also a good flow here which helps keep the energy high throughout, helped along by several iconic and memorable sequences. I, of course, loved the scene where an Arab swordsman pulls off a few stunts with his sword to show off his expertise as he prepares for a duel, only for Indy to pull a stunt of his own and just shoot him dead. John Williams does the score again, and crushes it again. The main theme is amazing, and there's some adventurous music along the way to make even the scenes I didn't like a bit better. Williams has become a household name for a reason, and that reason's more pronounced than ever here. While the film may be great, it isn't perfect. One thing I notice is that Spielberg was at his lowest as a director around this time, a problem which started in 1941. Granted, it's less prominent here, but nonetheless there are a few choppy edits. The special effects are also weirdly subpar here. My biggest issue is that the film is weirdly racist and sexist. The women often exist just to be damsels in distress save for minor moments, especially the heroine Marion. The other races, especially the tribals and Arabs, are mostly portrayed in a villainous light, except for Indy's Arab friend Sallah. However, the film gladly doesn't dwell on these depictions, and they're leagues better than other films of the time. Instead, it keeps the energy building until an epic finale. I know much has been said about the scene of the opening of the Ark, but that doesn't change how awesome it is to see it melt the faces off the Nazis. Overall, I can see the DNA of future action-adventure films here, and it's interesting to see how it pulls it off without feeling archetypical, and just feeling thrilling, fun and surprisingly funny. A great movie overall.