After launching one of the most popular movie franchises of all time with 1977’s Star Wars, George Lucas went and did it again — this time with the help of his close friend Steven Spielberg — with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, which introduced audiences to Indiana Jones and subsequently spawned three sequels, with another one on the way to conclude the series.
Harking back to the classic adventure serials of the ‘30s and ‘40s, Lucas and Spielberg’s Indiana Jones movies contain some of the most exciting action sequences and some of the most beloved characters in all of action cinema.
Character: Indiana Jones
Obviously, one of the best characters from the Indiana Jones franchise is Indiana Jones himself. Dr. Jones is one of the most recognizable icons in film history and has often been ranked among the greatest movie characters of all time.
While Lucas and Spielberg’s creation of a unique action hero can’t be discounted, it’s fair to say that most of Indy’s appeal can be attributed to Harrison Ford’s ice-cool performance.
Action Sequence: The Opening Temple Escape In Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The opening set piece of Raiders of the Lost Ark establishes the Indy character beautifully. From his silhouetted debut to his escape from the Hovitos tribe, this sequence (comprising the first of Raiders’ seven acts) tells the audience everything they need to know about Indiana Jones — except that he’s a college professor, but that comes in the following scene.
The highlight of this sequence is the boulder that chases Indy out the front door, but the whole scene is filled with suspense, excitement, and throwbacks to the serials that inspired Lucas and Spielberg.
Character: Short Round
In the Shanghai-set opening scene of Temple of Doom, Indy picks up a young sidekick. Short Round is a cabbie when Indy and Willie meet him, but he quickly gets swept up in their globetrotting adventure.
Short Round’s success as a supporting character rests entirely on Jonathan Ke Quan’s lovable performance. He shared terrific chemistry with Harrison Ford, who played the straight man hilariously.
Action Sequence: The Tank Battle In Last Crusade
The climactic sequence in Last Crusade sees Indy and his company being captured by the Nazis and taken across the desert in a tank. Spielberg continues to ratchet up the suspense until the tank goes over the edge of a cliff.
This set piece has possibly the tensest moment in Indy history, as he hangs from the side of the tank by his satchel with a huge chunk of rock fast approaching.
Character: Marion Ravenwood
Although the backstory that Indy dated Marion when she was a child and he was a grown man certainly hasn’t aged well, the character herself played by Karen Allen is always a joy to watch.
Marion was one of the few highlights of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, too. She was given much more agency and included in more of the action in Crystal Skull than in Raiders.
Action Sequence: The Mechanic Fight In Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Pat Roach had previously been turned down for the role of Darth Vader before Lucasfilm tapped him to play a couple of heavies in the Indiana Jones movies. The Nazi mechanic that Indy fights under the wing of a plane is easily Roach’s most iconic Indiana Jones role.
Indy is no match for the mechanic’s brute force, so he gets his butt kicked while Marion is knocking out the pilot. But just when the mechanic is about to deliver the final smackdown, the plane’s spinning propellor comes around and turns him to mush.
Character: Sallah
Sallah is one of Indy’s most trusted allies and one of his most resourceful friends. He comes to his aid in Raiders when he’s looking for the Ark and he does it again in Last Crusade when he’s looking for the Grail.
John Rhys-Davies brings a real lovability to Sallah. The role was tailored to him after Spielberg saw his performance in the TV miniseries Shōgun; the part was originally written for a short, thin man.
Action Sequence: The Mine Cart Chase In Temple Of Doom
Originally, George Lucas wanted the mine cart chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but couldn’t find anywhere to put it in the story, so he held onto it and put it in the sequel (technically prequel), Temple of Doom, instead.
It was well worth the wait because the mine cart chase is a truly nail-biting sequence. Indy, Short Round, and Willie racing around a rickety track, tilting on every turn, provides endless edge-of-your-seat thrills.
Character: Henry Jones, Sr.
When it came to casting Indiana Jones’ father in Last Crusade, the choice was obvious for Spielberg. He’d originally been inspired to make the Indiana Jones movies by the Bond franchise; Indy was intended to be an American Bond.
So, when Indy’s father came into the picture, Spielberg recruited the original 007, Sean Connery, who gave a hilarious turn as Henry Jones, Sr.
Action Sequence: The Truck Chase In Raiders Of The Lost Ark
When the Nazis get a hold of the Ark of the Covenant, Indy doesn’t let a convoy of heavily armed trucks stop him from getting it back. The most iconic stunt from this scene sees Indy being thrown through the windshield of a truck and falling under it.
He latches his whip onto the axel and gets dragged behind the truck as he desperately tries to climb back aboard. The Nazi officer driving the truck is pretty surprised when Indy returns.