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Rating: 3.5 out of 5
While flipping through my long list of movies in my Netflix queue. I wonder what I could watch. As I scrolled, I saw that I checked Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It had been many years since I sat and watched the third installment of this trilogy. I remembered that it was good before, and the first one was awesome. As I read the synopsis, I remember how much I didn’t like the second one for some reason, but the third one was better. I decided to give it another chance. The movie had Harrison Ford returning as the star character and also Sean Connery. Sean “freakin” Connery! I was not disappointed in my choice to watch this film all over again. If this was the last Indiana Jones movie, which it wasn’t (cough, cough Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), director Steven Spielberg gives Indiana the sendoff and mini origin story that the character deserves.
Spielberg begins his “final” installment with a prologue to a young Indiana (Phoenix). During the first 20 minutes of the film, we are introduced to a young Indiana in 1912 who goes up against a group of men as he takes a valuable cross. As the men pursue Indiana, we witness and come to understand why Indiana hates snakes after falling into a bin full of them (NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!), how he got his famous hat, his legendary whip and his famous tag line, ‘”I’ll think of something.’”
The story jumps to 1938. An adult Indiana (Ford) as Indiana learns that his father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Connery), has sent his diary to young Indiana from Italy. Jones Sr. has spent his life looking for the Holy Grail, and his diary is the key to finding it. Indiana meets a private collector, Walter Donavan (Glover), who states that the mission for the Holy Grail went awry with the disappearance of his father. Indiana Jones and museum curator Marcus Brody (Elliott) venture to Italy in search of Indy’s father, where they meet Henry’s colleague, the beautiful Elsa Schneider (Doody). Indiana discovers where his father is located and goes to save him from a Nazi control castle. While rescuing his father, Indiana is double-crossed and learns that Donavan and Schneider are working for the Nazis. Indiana and his father soon race against the Nazis for the Holy Grail.
Even though this film isn’t as great as Raiders of the Lost Ark, it is better than the Temple of Doom. Let’s be real, Raiders was iconic and can’t be topped by a third movie, but the Last Crusade is very entertaining and fun to watch. It should’ve been the direct sequel to Raiders, but some things don’t work out that way. Crusade tries to get back to what made the first Indiana Jones special. The true meat and potatoes of Indiana Jones film: the fights, epic journey across the globe, Nazis as the enemy, and a “religious” artifact that many people know. Spielberg tries to recreate the same formula that made the first film so special. Like all things, it is hard to create the feel and excitement of the first film because we have seen what Indiana can do. This time around, Spielberg gives us a mini-origin story for Indiana. Something to make us know some background of why Indiana is somewhat the way he is. It was exciting to see Indiana’s “first” adventure and doing the things he does at a young age, along with a minor bit of the relationship of his father.
Along with that, Spielberg gives us an artifact that is in a few other stories (i.e., King Arthur). This time the artifact is the Holy Grail that will grant eternal life to anyone. Similar to the original goal of Raiders when Indiana searches for the Ark of the Covenant with a similar statement, “An Army that carries the Ark before it… is invincible”. Spielberg tries to recreate the feel of this film by adding a legendary item. Spielberg also makes the return of the Nazis. No great movie with Indiana can’t have Nazis in it. What is pretty funny is that Spielberg added a quick nod to Raiders. If you can spot it, then you are pretty good.
Where the true fun comes in this film is the chemistry and interactions between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. They have this father-son dynamic that seems comical. Indiana appears to resent his dad for not being the oh so loving type when he was growing up. An example is when younger Indiana had to say his numbers in Latin at the beginning of the film. Also, how the older Jones always calls Indiana, Junior, which he is too much of his dislike. Yet, Indiana idolizes his dad because he became just like him, searching the world for artifacts. The best part is finding out how Indiana truly got his name. Good ole dad telling all the secrets.
Ford, as usual, plays Indiana the best way he can. A role that he knows inside and out and doesn’t need help portraying. The only thing was he was upstaged by the great Sean Connery. Connery commands the screen each time he is on. It didn’t feel like Connery was trying to be the better actor, but you knew once he appeared that he had the charisma, presence and feel that he was the best on-screen without trying. It looked like he was having true fun as his character, and it showed.
The downside of this film is the pacing. The pacing and breaks between the action scenes and the actual movie seem off. The movie seems to give a great action scene then appears to take a turn and slow very down as it tries to build up the relationship between father and son. It isn’t a smooth film that lets things develop in a way that seems like one big ride entertaining ride.
Like with all sequels, it will always be compared to the original film. Raiders of the Lost Ark brought new energy and excitement to the film game. Something that brought us on the edge of our seats. When a big a** boulder rolls toward you in the first few minutes of a film, you’re going to remember it. It will always be tough to top a movie that set the bar for an adventure movie. Last Crusade tries to recreate the magic of the first film by using the same formula but ultimately doesn’t live up to it.
