release year: 1981
genre: action
viewing setting: home laserdisc, 8/26/97
what I expected: n/a (already seen it many times)
what I got: rip-roaring adventure in the tradition of the old serials
synopsis: It's the late 1930s, and the Nazis are searching for the legendary lost ark of the Covenant, to increase their power. The U.S. government recruits adventurer/archaeologist Indiana Jones to stop them.
impressions: This one's truly a classic. It has all the elements of a great epic adventure: a charismatic, swashbuckling hero; a competent yet often-incompetent female lead; vile villains; a great quest; a wide assortment of supporting characters; divine intervention. This may be THE penultimate adventure movie.
acting: Needless to say, if you don't know that this movie sealed Harrison Ford's fate as one of the most successful actors of all time, you've been living under a rock for a while. He does a great job, making the role his. As for everyone else...well, many fine performances all around.
final word: Great fun, highly re-viewable. A true classic.
rating: A