I have been enthralled with the art of film since I was a little boy. There are plenty of movies that first got me hooked to the art form, but Raiders of the Lost Ark is the film that first conjured my fascination for cinema. For that, how could I not call this my favorite movie of all time? It has drastically changed my life.
However, my endless love for this movie is not just due to nostalgia and personal importance (even though personal importance is obviously an important factor when considering your subjective favorite film). At the end of the day, it is truly no mystery why Raiders has sparked the love for cinema in the hearts of so many. It is a perfect film.
Everything about Raiders is TIMELESS: William's iconic score, the exciting action, the all-time great characters, the performances, the clever dialogue, the enthralling romance, the creative writing, its originality, its innovation, its wit, Spielberg's masterful direction. I could write a full essay analyzing why each one of these things I've listed is phenomenal. Raiders is such a versatile, overachieving, and genre-bending film. It really has something for everyone. Heck, it even finds a way to throw some unforgettable moments of horror into the mix too.
I'll take a moment to talk about the cast. Harrison Ford was born to play this role. Sure, he's great in Star Wars, Witness, Air Force One, The Fugitive, etc etc. However, it is Ford's performance in this film that elevates Indiana Jones from an already great character on paper to the greatest character in cinematic history. If not the greatest, than at least the most memorable and iconic.
Other key performances include Karen Allen with one of action cinema's best love interests, Marion Craine, and Paul Freeman who plays the unforgettable antagonist of Rene Belloq. The latter I find to be a very understated performance, as Belloq is one of my all-time favorite antagonists.
The masterminds behind the story and script of course deserve countless rounds of applause too. Lawrence Kasdan did an absolutely stunning job writing out the already genius story crafted by George Lucas and Phillip Kaufman.
Most importantly, let's talk about Steven Spielberg's directing. It is arguably the best directed movie of all time. Every scene is gushing with Spielberg's distinct directorial style, innovation, and creativity. Most of all, it sticks out to me how organic Spielberg made such an out-there plot feel.
In conclusion, I seriously can't find a single flaw within Raiders of the Lost Ark which is perhaps the only movie in which I can give that testament (When I say "flaws", I mean real flaws that negatively affect the experience of the movie. Just putting that out there before someone points out something like how the map in the background lists countries by their modern names instead of what their name was in 1937).
In conclusion, Raiders of the Lost Ark will likely always be favorite movie. I've rewatched it hundreds of times, and yet, I have an absolute blast every single time I watch it. I expect to have a blast every time I watch it for the rest of my life.
10/10.
However, my endless love for this movie is not just due to nostalgia and personal importance (even though personal importance is obviously an important factor when considering your subjective favorite film). At the end of the day, it is truly no mystery why Raiders has sparked the love for cinema in the hearts of so many. It is a perfect film.
Everything about Raiders is TIMELESS: William's iconic score, the exciting action, the all-time great characters, the performances, the clever dialogue, the enthralling romance, the creative writing, its originality, its innovation, its wit, Spielberg's masterful direction. I could write a full essay analyzing why each one of these things I've listed is phenomenal. Raiders is such a versatile, overachieving, and genre-bending film. It really has something for everyone. Heck, it even finds a way to throw some unforgettable moments of horror into the mix too.
I'll take a moment to talk about the cast. Harrison Ford was born to play this role. Sure, he's great in Star Wars, Witness, Air Force One, The Fugitive, etc etc. However, it is Ford's performance in this film that elevates Indiana Jones from an already great character on paper to the greatest character in cinematic history. If not the greatest, than at least the most memorable and iconic.
Other key performances include Karen Allen with one of action cinema's best love interests, Marion Craine, and Paul Freeman who plays the unforgettable antagonist of Rene Belloq. The latter I find to be a very understated performance, as Belloq is one of my all-time favorite antagonists.
The masterminds behind the story and script of course deserve countless rounds of applause too. Lawrence Kasdan did an absolutely stunning job writing out the already genius story crafted by George Lucas and Phillip Kaufman.
Most importantly, let's talk about Steven Spielberg's directing. It is arguably the best directed movie of all time. Every scene is gushing with Spielberg's distinct directorial style, innovation, and creativity. Most of all, it sticks out to me how organic Spielberg made such an out-there plot feel.
In conclusion, I seriously can't find a single flaw within Raiders of the Lost Ark which is perhaps the only movie in which I can give that testament (When I say "flaws", I mean real flaws that negatively affect the experience of the movie. Just putting that out there before someone points out something like how the map in the background lists countries by their modern names instead of what their name was in 1937).
In conclusion, Raiders of the Lost Ark will likely always be favorite movie. I've rewatched it hundreds of times, and yet, I have an absolute blast every single time I watch it. I expect to have a blast every time I watch it for the rest of my life.
10/10.