Ian’s review published on Letterboxd:
97/100
”Oh, my friends! I'm so pleased you're not dead!”
Just like I said how it was so hard to imagine Spielberg going from his two classics in the 70’s into 1941, it’s even crazier to see that as soon as that failed he created not only one of his greatest films of his career, but one of the finest films ever made. I saw this for the first time years ago and now it seems that it’s always something that I want to come back to. It’s a comfort movie that not only delivers on a perfect combination of adventure seeking mystery, but wonderfully entertaining action that balances the entire film.
Watching Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark never feels wrong. You’d have to be insane to hate it and honestly it would baffle me to ding anyone to not enjoy watching it. Even from the start of the film, it’s filled with this mystery of why Jones is there and whether or not he’ll make it out and it just grabs you by the shirt and pulls you into this adventure.
The story itself is intriguing in the plainest sense. You want to see the Ark just as much as Jones and company. What’s the best part is how they get there though. I love seeing an adventurous mystery unfolding onscreen and the twists and turns that come with it. What separates Raiders from the typical film is how precise and perfect Spielberg and crew fill the film with magnificent practical effects and set pieces. Crafting some of the finest action I’ve ever seen.
Another key component that separates it from the rest is obviously Jones himself Harrison Ford. Ford fits him so perfectly and it’s honestly just a joy to see him on screen. I love the way his character is and I love the interactions he has with everyone. Especially with Karen Allen. She is just as exciting and entertaining to watch on screen as Ford and when their together it works perfectly. Also love Paul Freeman here as Belloq; plays against Ford’s Jones so so well.
This is a Spielberg gem, and honestly one of my favorite films of all time. I could watch this countless times and still fall in love with it every watch. The adventure is there, the action is done with so much talent, and the performances are filled with so much heart. Everything comes together to craft a truly wonderful film. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a definite masterpiece and one of Spielberg’s best.
