Member review

“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” is the best of the best! It’s my favourite Indiana Jones movie, my favourite Steven Spielberg film, my favourite threequel and, on some occasions, my favourite film of all time! It is a perfect adventure, a flawless masterpiece and one of the most entertaining and well written films in cinematic history!

After the divisive “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” which traded entertainment and excitement for gore and misery, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas wanted to bring back the sense of fun that had made “Raiders of the Lost Ark” so special. Whilst “The Last Crusade” does follow similar story beats as “Raiders”, the fantastic addition of Indy’s father gives “The Last Crusade” an emotional and relatable core that “Raiders” lacked.

One of the best aspects of Indy’s third adventure is how hilarious the interactions between its characters are. The script isn’t necessarily “jokey”, however, the banter and interplay between each character gives “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” a light and enjoyable tone that was sorely missed in “Temple of Doom.” The dialogue here is top-notch; this is absolutely one of the most quotable films ever!

All of the cast bring their A-game to this outstanding movie; from John Rhys-Davies as Sallah to Julian Glover as the villainous Walter Donovan, no actor phones-in their performance or weakens the film.

Harrison Ford once again portrays Indy perfectly! He delivers every one-liner flawlessly and is just as excellent in the movie’s more heartfelt moments.

A review of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” would be incomplete without discussing the highlight of this movie, Sean Connery as Indiana’s father. Even though he is most recognized as James Bond (which was a major inspiration for the Indy series), I believe that Henry Jones Sr. is Connery’s best role. Whilst he isn’t a comedian, his reactions to Indy gunning down Nazis (“Look what you did!”), being trapped in a burning room (“Our situation has not improved.”) and accidently shooting down their own plane (“Son, I'm sorry. They got us.”) leave me crying with laughter every time I watch this movie! Connery has such great chemistry with Harrison Ford which helped sell the damaged relationship between Indiana and his father; this is easily my favourite parent-child relationship in cinematic history!

The fact that “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” centres on the realistic themes of reconnection and family is the primary reason that I like “Crusade” ever so slightly more than “Raiders.”

At this point in the Indy Trilogy, everyone knows what to expect when they hear John Williams’ extraordinary score and see everyone’s favourite adventurer swing onto screen. The action is exhilarating and pulse-pounding, the effects near perfect and the opening sequence spectacular. All of this is true of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

The action set-pieces in this movie are beyond exceptional. From the motorbike pursuit (which, if not for “Mission: Impossible-Fallout”, would be the best use of motorbikes in cinematic history) to the epic tank chase, every sequence is perfectly crafted. Nobody can direct action like Spielberg, his mastery of building tension and excitement excels here.

The practical stunt work adds a level of grit and danger to every scene. The previously mentioned Tank chase is outstanding; it’s funny, nail-bitingly intense and brutally visceral. The sequence reinforces why Indiana Jones is the perfect action hero. Indy doesn’t barrel through hordes of Nazis without breaking a sweat; instead he is beaten to a pulp before being dragged along the side of a jagged cliff whilst hanging from the side of the tank. The fact that Indiana is the underdog makes his eventual victory so much more satisfying!

The sets, costumes and props are all fantastic; the authenticity of the production makes “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” not only a phenomenal action-adventure, but also a spectacular period piece. An excellent example of the film’s meticulous attention to detail is the scene in which Indiana literally bumps into Adolf Hitler. The fact that a moment that should have felt insensitive became so entertaining is all down to how spectacular a director Steven Spielberg is and how brilliant the “Last Crusade” script is!

I absolutely love the “No Ticket” moment, it is undoubtedly one of my favourite movie moments in history. Train journeys would be so much more fun if all ticket inspectors were more like Indy!

One of the long-standing highpoints of the Indy series are the incredible opening sequences and outstanding finales. The intro to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is iconic and the greatest in cinematic history and even the much maligned “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” has a superb opening. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” continues this tradition with another stellar set-piece. The flashback that introduces the themes of the film, the dynamic between Indy and his father and the search for the Holy Grail is brilliant! It is also extremely satisfying to see how Indiana obtained his legendary fedora and used a bullwhip for the first time. This scene could so easily have come off as cheesy and self-indulgent but it absolutely doesn’t. River Phoenix was perfect as Yong Indy, whilst he doesn’t necessarily look like Harrison Ford, his mannerisms and attitude were spot-on!

“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” has one of my favourite finales in film history! I love the face-melting conclusion to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” as much as anyone, but in that scene Indy doesn’t do anything other than close his eyes and wait for Belloq’s head to explode. However, in “Last Crusade”, Indy must use all of his knowledge and courage to secure the Holy Grail as the stakes are higher than ever. Even after hundreds of re-watches, these final sequences are just as breath-taking as they were first time round.

Whereas many threequels botch the landing of their series (I’m looking at you “The Matrix Revolutions”), the final shot of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” is so perfect. Even if it is cliché, it’s the most satisfying ending that this trilogy could have gone out with!

“Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” is perfection, I love it so much! The characters are engaging, the story compelling and the action fantastic! It’s a perfect emotional roller-coaster; it has everything that I want out of a movie. If it isn’t my favourite movie of all time, it comes in very close at second place! If you haven’t seen it you chose… poorly.