Customer Reviews

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Widescreen) [VHS]

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm sure I'll get it for this, but this is my least favorite of the three Indy flicks. I felt that this film was largely an re-hash of the far-superior "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

This one has the same ideas as the first -- religious artifact, good vs. bad theme, nazis, and so forth. Adding Sean Connery does nothing except turn most of the movie to farce, and I wasn't happy with the film's treatment of Marcus Brody either. And really, what WERE they thinking with the inclusion of the nazi-babe Dr. Elsa? She's even blonder and (in my opinion, dumber) than Willie from the second film.

I'm not saying that it's a terrible film. There are some nice moments, such as the final scene with Indy and his father ("Indiana...let it go" ) but it's definitely not a very original film.

Say what you will about the "Temple of Doom," but at least in that movie Spielburg and Lucas weren't afraid to try something different and opt for a darker, more original storyline. The point of moviemaking is not to duplicate a successful formula, but to come up with a new one. I'd even have to say that the Indiana Jones "Fate of Atlantis" computer game was better written than this.

This Indy movie was weak--not much of an action film but more of a comedy. If anything, though, see it. HF is good, so is Connery. But you just might get sick at the fact Indy and his Dad were with the same woman.

Great movie with an excellent cast! Movie was received promptly and packaged nicely!
They dont make them like this any more!

It may just be coincidence but this time Harrison Ford that was a carpenter is not Dr. Indiana Jones (Junior) and his last crusade (until the next film) is to obtain a cup of a carpenter.

Even though this film can stand on its own, it can be more fully understood if you watch "Raiders of the lost Ark" first.

Once again we start out with a young Jones trying to save an artifact from pillagers. This lets us know of his heroic energy and introduces his father Professor Henry Jones (Sean Connery) and his obsession with the Holy Grail, even to the exclusion of his relationship with Junior.

Now grown Dr. Indiana Jones gives a class and explains that Archeology is a pretty strait forward science and not some search for legends. He receives a mysterious piece of post.

He is then approached by group of rich people that are in search of the Grail. It turns out that their top researcher has disappeared. Yep it is Professor Henry Jones. What can Indiana do but go looking for his father. He is accounted by his best friend who runs a museum Dr. Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliottt) as they team up with the last person to see his father Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody.) He gets a final warning "Do not trust anybody."

Will he find his father?

If he dies what will they have to talk about?

Does the Grail really exist?

Who are the mysterious people following him?

One of my favorite scenes is where Dr. Jones disguised in a German uniform bumps into Hitler (Michael Sheard of Star Wars fame).

Have fun watching this great film with the banter between Hennery and Junior. And remember "do not trust anybody."

A huge improvement over The Temple of Doom,The last Crusade is not only better(FAR BETTER)than the second,it is also in my opinion a even better film than Raiders of the Lost Ark!!!!!!! The story is the best of the three,the action scenes are terrific,and the acting,especially from Harrison ford and Sean Connery,who steals every scene he's in as Indy's Dad,is amazing.Overall,if you liked the first film and hated the second,The Last Crusade will please you more than the second and maybe more than the first! Note:Despite the PG-13 Rating of this film(the first two were both PG),this film is not nearly as graphic as the second.

"The quest for the grail is not Archeology. It's a race against evil. If it is captured by the Nazis, the armies of darkness will march all over the face of the Earth."
- Henry Jones Sr. reminds his whip wielding son how important the last crusade for the Cup of Christ is in "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade".

The third entry in the adventures of Indiana Jones, aptly titled "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade", is a lot light hearted than "The Temple of Doom" and its dark heart, and is more in the spirit of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" but can't outmatch it.

Three years after the events in "Raiders", Indiana Jones is on a quest to find his missing father after finding out he's been abducted by sinister forces. For most of his life, Indiana's father, has been researching and trying to locate The Holy Grail. If Indiana finds his dad he also may have found The Holy Grail.

After Seventeen summers, since its 5/24/89 release, the film is still fun to watch. The cast is great, especially Sean Connery as Henry Jones Sr. I can't imagine anyone else for the role. The chemistry between Connery and Harrison Ford is what makes the "Last Crusade" a stand-out crowd pleaser. Denholm Elliot expands on his role from "Raiders" as Marcus Brody, adding some goofy comic relief as the bookish curator out of his element. Of course it isn't an "Indiana Jones" film without Harrison Ford as the title role. This a classic example of a film character that is so legendary, that it would be fruitlessly idiotic to have the character be recast with another actor. In other words I really can't see Tom Selleck as Dr. Jones, and if there isn't a fourth adventure with Indiana Jones it would suck big time, but I could live with it.

"Last Crusade" does have some really great action sequences. From Indy's first adventure, to the motorcycle and tank chases the film seems to try to outdo itself. Thats where the film hits a small speed bump. The action is so great that I couldn't help but be reminded of "Raiders" thru some of the action sequences in "Last Crusade" (especially the tank chase. It reminded me of the truck sequence in "Raiders"). But, its all good!

As for a fourth film, who knows? As of this writing, story creator George Lucas wasn't to happy with the latest draft and the whole production almost went back to square one. The film won't get made unless Harrison Ford, Lucas, & director Steven Speilberg are happy with all aspects of the script.

Third time's a charm? Three's a crowd? These must have been the question plaguing the filmmakers and studio executives behind one of the greatest adventure series in movie history. But the lure of the charm, excitement, and most notably the rather large box office coin, of the previous two features could hold anybody down from this project. In the time since Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, the three main men of the series had had a mixed bag of results away from the adventurous archeologist. Steven Spielberg was coming into his own amongst the critical elite with highly acclaimed, and multi nominated, features The Color of Purple and Tears of the Sun. George Lucas, with his predominantly acclaimed Star Wars series behind him for the time being, spent his time executively producing such under-appreciated features as Labyrinth and Willow. And Indiana Jones himself, Harrison Ford, had success in Witness and Working Girl but nothing for his own work. So was there any doubt that a third was demanded amongst not only two out of the three main men but the studio executives at Paramount as well? Whether that was the case or not, Indiana Jones was on his way once again to the big screen, possibly for the last time.

The story takes place nearly two years after the original feature film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and three years after the Temple of Doom and places our hero, Indiana Jones, once again against the nefarious Nazi empire. Barely able to catch his breathe after another perilous mission for an ancient artifact; Indiana is whisked off, this time by multi-millionaire Walter Donovan to find an object not only important to the field of archeology but to the world itself. For over forty years, Indy's own father spent tireless hours researching and recording the many secrets that would lead to the discovery of the Holy Grail, the cup that Christians believed was used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper and was also used to catch his blood at the time of his death. It is also believed that the Grail would bring immortal life to whoever drank from it, which has certainly gained the attention of Adolf Hitler, who dreams of a superior master race to rule the world, and he will do anything to achieve that dream. That is why it is important that Indiana get to the Grail first before the Nazis do but first he must find the man who was once in charge of the operation but has mysteriously disappeared, his own father. The story for Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade is probably one of the most noble adventure films in the genre and though this deals mainly with Christianity, Spielberg manages to keep the focus generally on universal beliefs and the concept of faith itself rather then the individual denominations. He guides the audience through several complex theories and beliefs but directs it out in such a way that even the most clueless of filmgoers will get a general idea of what is behind many of the main actions of the film.

As was said about the Temple of Doom in that the Indiana Jones series isn't afraid to switch supporting characters up and that it usually works well depending on their interaction with Ford remains true for this film. Not all work though, but the mass majority pick up the slack of the less potent additions to the cast. Harrison Ford dons the famous hat and whip once again and gives possibly the best performance in the series, if not on par with Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is all thanks to his absolutely amazing chemistry with Sean Connery, who is best known for his role as James Bond. The two talented performers play off each other so well that you would believe they were actually related. Sean Connery still shows that he has what it takes to be a commanding actor despite his old age. Though the feature contains a decent amount of humor within the material itself, additional comic relief comes in the form of Denholm Elliott as Dr. Marcus Brody and John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, who reprise their fantastic roles from the original. The only cast member that just doesn't seem quite right for the series is Alison Doody as Dr. Elsa Schneider, whose lines seem so drulled out and the performance on the whole being quite tacky. Whether that was the intention of the filmmakers or not may not be known but in either case it felt over-the-top and not in the good way that it could have been. It could have been Doody's performance or the role itself but whatever it was it didn't work at all.

Overall, if this is Indiana Jones' last go-around then it is marvelous one at that, mixing everything that made the series so enduring all into one consolidating effort. Historical background, religious content, and memorable characters all come together in a triumphant achievement from the brilliant duo of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. There is little to complain about with this film but if anything was out of place, beside Alison Doody's performance, it had to be focus taken too much away from the meaning behind the Grail itself. Granted, praise must be given to Spielberg for the film's intention on keeping the audience centered on universal beliefs, but considering you are dealing with serious Christian content, it would have been nice to keep the focus on that but no big foul called for not doing that. Outside of a small dispute, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade is an absolute must see and the wonderful thing about it is that there is no need to watch the previous two features in order to appreciate the magnificence of Spielberg's vision.

My opinion of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade could be deemed slightly biased. It is the first film I ever saw in theaters and it's also the first movie I purchased on video. I even own the same, worn-down, beat-up copy (and look upon it even more fondly than the widescreen edition, for sentimental reasons, of course) (but nothing beats the pristine quality DVD). I think it's fair to say it's this movie that cemented my love of cinema, the high regard I hold for great escapism, which is sorely lacking from today's cinema; movies that should be fun now drag or bludgeon themselves with relentlessly awful scripts or MTV-style direction that turns relatively simple scenes into chaotic blurs. The Last Crusade may only be thirteen years old, but I think I can safely say they don't make them like they used to.

The film stars, of course, Harrison Ford as Indy Jones, the archaeologist/adventurer who's on yet another quest, this time to find his father, who'd been searching for the Holy Grail. Said Dad is played by none other than Sean Connery, whose highly charismatic performance is quick to place this film, acting-wise, above the others in the trilogy. The rest of the film focuses on this ongoing journey between father and son (eventually joined along by Sallah and Marcus Brody), complete with amazing action and stunt sequences, clever humor, and nasty (but fun) surprises.

The script, by Jeffrey Boam, takes a few cues from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but actually improves upon that story by paying more attention to characterization. The delightful opening scene (all three movies really open with a bang, don't they?); which details how young Indy got his scar, whip, hat, and fear of snakes; makes for a better prequel than Temple of Doom (and any of The Adventure of Young Indiana Jones, for that matter).

The story is engrossing because there's a lot of fun clues offered towards the location of the Grail and, thus, there's a lot of engaging little discoveries (love the "X marks the spot" scene). I'm quite certain, like with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the plot has a few holes, but they're fairly hard to notice, and I've seen this movie quite a few times, but maybe it's just my enjoyment of the film clouding that up. Either way, it speaks volumes in favor of Spielberg's direction and the performances.

Given that action and adventure is the series' selling point, you can expect the thrills and wondrous delight of discovery delivered in spades. The action scenes are terrific (and matched well with John Williams' rousing, memorable score), the best being an excellent ten-minute setpiece on board (and in) a Nazi tank in a sensational chase sequence across the desert. I also loved the motorcycle chase and the Zeppelin setpiece, where the heroes go about dispatching of two enemy fighters in unexpected, but quite hilarious, fashion. The climax, complete with frightening booby traps, is a suspenseful venture into the unknown, which is the pinnacle adventure movies aspire to.

The Last Crusade is far more humor-oriented than its predecessors, but part of the movie's effectiveness is that it's able to deliver belly laughs without defusing the tension during the action sequences. Some of the jokes are just brilliant, including one with Indy armed with a Luger in confrontation with a line of Nazis in front of him that's even funnier than the swordsman scene in Raiders (well, to me, at least).

The supporting cast is all-around superb; John Rhys-Davies is back as Sallah, wonderful as ever and displaying a bit more enthusiasm searching for the Grail than he did digging up the Ark of the Covenant. The late Denholm Elliot also returns as Marcus Brody, the most loveable goof of a museum curator. Alison Doody is interesting as Elsa, the blonde bombshell whom Indy falls for; a twist involving her character and her actions towards the climax make her not as one-dimensional as she may initially appear. Julian Glover is the best of the main Indy villains, he's far more menacing than Paul Freeman's Belloq and less over-the-top but equally enjoyable as Amrish Pruri's Mola Ram. I also enjoyed Michael Byrne's performance as the Jones hating Colonel Vogel, who relishes in torturing Indy and his father. When it comes to pure delightfully nasty villainy, Byrne is even more fun to watch than Glover.

Harrison Ford once again slides effortlessly into the role of Jones, but there's a catch. With the addition of Connery as his father, it reveals a personal side to Indy we haven't seen before. It's his rapport with Connery that strikes that spark that separates this from 99% of the genre. They craft an uncannily touching, funny, and genuine bond unlike any duo I've seen. You could call it a buddy picture, but one with genuine heart and emotion, something filmmakers Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer could learn a thing or two about. The Last Crusade is pure Hollywood movie magic at its best and brightest; bring on Indy 4, I say!

By far, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is my favorite film of the trilogy. This movie is just absolutely enjoyable to watch from start to finish. Indy is back chasing a religious artifact that a widespread audience can appreciate, battling the Nazis across the skies and desert, and the woman is not the annoying, scream fest of "The Temple of Doom." In particular, I enjoyed two aspects of this film. First, it provides an explanation for many aspects of Indiana Jones's character. For example, we receive background information of Indy's youth, providing an explanation for why he chose the field of archaeology to begin with. Why does Indiana Jones have Harrison Ford's famous chin scar? Why is he named "Indiana?" Where did he get his hat and bullwhip? All of these questions are answered and fleshed out in this film. Secondly, and more importantly, I enjoyed seeing the interaction between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. It was very nice to see the father/son relationship and development throughout the movie. In the first two movies, Indy's character is rather flat and uninteresting. In "Last Crusade," however, we finally get to see his character come alive and develop.

On top of all the action in this film, the music score is fantastic and really adds depth to the film. The comedy in this film is also immense; "Last Crusade" definitely has a lot of fun. The scene in which Indiana fends off the Nazis on a motorbike, while his father does nothing but frown is classic and cannot be missed. If you haven't seen this film, just go see it. It's that simple.

After having taken a definitively dark turn in 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, director Steven Spielberg and executive producer George Lucas decided that the third installment of the series should be thrilling, lighter in tone and more upbeat and humorous. In other words, they wanted to recreate the Saturday-matinee serial fun of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Lucas, Menno Meyjes and screenwriter Jeffrey Boam wrote a story that once again sent the archaeologist/adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) on the quest for another legendary artifact -- the Holy Grail. And to avoid the inevitable "ho hum, been there, done that" syndrome that sequels often suffer from, they decided to include a father-son dynamic to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade by casting Sean Connery as Professor Henry Jones.

Although Last Crusade follows the basic structure -- borrowed from the James Bond series -- of the other movies by starting the film with the end of a previous adventure before introducing the main storyline, the film tweaks the formula by showing us Indy's first big adventure...in 1912 Utah, when the future archaeology professor is a Boy Scout (literally) living with his widowed father, Henry Jones. While on a Boy Scouting sojourn in the mountainous desert, young Indy (River Phoenix) wanders into a cave and sees a group of ruffians pilfering the long-lost Cross of Coronado. "That cross is an important artifact," Indy says to a fellow Boy Scout. "It belongs in a museum." Indy sends his friend for help, steals the Cross of Coronado from the ruffians, but ends up being chased as he attempts to escape on foot, horseback and even a circus train. (One of the best scenes in the series: the handsome rogue who was hired to find the Cross by the collector known in the credits as "Panama Hat" tells Indy, "You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it." And in a show of admiration for the kid's spunk and courage, takes off his hat and places it on Indy's head. Spielberg holds the camera on the hat, and in the blink of an eye, we flash forward 26 years and to the conclusion of Indy's search for the Cross of Coronado.)

After this exciting prologue, The Last Crusade gets underway when American millionaire Walter Donovan (The Empire Strikes Back's Julian Glover) commissions Indy to find the missing leader (and his important papers) of Donovan's Holy Grail recovery team. Several clues have been found near Ankara, clues that might lead to the location of the legendary cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper -- a cup that also caught some of His blood at the Crucifixion. But when Indy temporizes, Donovan tells him the identity of the missing team leader...and our favorite archaeologist/adventurer starts out on yet another globe-trotting trek to chase an ancient treasure.

Soon, Indiana Jones, his friend and boss Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliott), Elsa Schneider (Allison Doody) -- a young, sexy Austrian archaeologist who works for Donovan -- and Indy's friend Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) set off on a quest to find the legendary Grail.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, with its crisp script, thrilling music by John Williams, fine directing by Spielberg and a convincing chemistry between Ford and Connery, is one of the best action films made in the 1980s, and its recent release on DVD proves that it, like the other films in the series, has aged well.