From the minds of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and brought to life on the big screen by Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones is undoubtedly one of the best cinematic heroes of all time. Though he is a professor of archaeology in his day job, Jones spends his spare time traveling the globe and facing danger while recovering long lost artifacts.
The character is said to be returning in a new sequel which could be a good idea of a bad idea. Though there are fans of Temple of Doom and even The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it's generally agreed that his two best appearances are in Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. But which is better? Let's take a look at both films and see which comes out on top.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Introducing Indy
Given how many comic book movies are around these days, it's easy to forget how difficult it can be to introduce a character no one has ever heard of and make the audience cheer for them almost immediately.
Raiders of the Lost Ark was the first cinematic Indiana Jones adventure and did a fantastic job presenting a hero that would go down in cinema history. As soon as Ford steps out of the shadows in that first scene, we were hooked to this guy. The movie showed him to be a smart, charming rogue who could kick butt but was never taken overly seriously.
The Last Crusade: The Opening
While Raiders of the Lost Ark might have been the first-time audiences met Indy, The Last Crusade showed us Indy's earliest adventure. The opening flashback features young Indy (played by River Phoenix) taking on some treasure hunters.
While many fans are convinced no one else could play Indy after Ford retires from the role, Phoenix made for a great Indy and brought a lot of Ford's charisma while making it his own. It is a fantastic opening scene showing how this hero came to be.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Marion
The love interests in Indiana Jones movies have been a bit hit-or-miss over the years, but surely everyone agrees that Marion Ravenwood is the best of them all by a wide margin. As heroic and fun as Indy is, Marion is just as entertaining and a true badass in her own right.
Karen Allen brings so much humor, heart, and fun to the character. From her first scene where we find her in the midst of a drinking contest, she makes for an unforgettable character who is a welcome addition to this adventure.
The Last Crusade: Dr. Jones Sr.
Though the love interest angle of The Last Crusade is not great, it does feature the best of Indy's sidekicks in the franchise. Sean Connery joined this third film as Indy's father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. A famed archaeologist in his own right, the elder Dr. Jones was a tough, sophisticated and hilarious partner to his son.
Connery seemed to be having a lot of fun with his role and he has amazing chemistry with Ford. Their action sequences together were thrilling and the father and son aspects of the story were very effective.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: The Villains
Both of these films seemed to recognize that Nazis make for fantastic villains in the Indiana Jones franchise. However, Raiders of the Lost Ark just succeeds a little more in making their villains truly despicable.
The Last Crusade has some memorable villains but they're all just a little too cliché without any real personality. Raiders of the Lost Ark makes Belloq a more complex bad guy while the Nazi officer Toht was a frightening yet weaselly henchman who you couldn't wait to see get his comeuppance.
The Last Crusade: The Action
Both films do an exceptional job of delivering thrilling action sequences. With ambitious set-pieces and largely practical effects, these movies are still exciting to revisit today and marvel at what the filmmakers were able to pull off.
Though both movies have action sequences that rank among the best of all-time, The Last Crusade edges out the original. From the opening train fight to the boat chase through Venice to the wild tank battle, these action scenes come one after another and are all extremely impressive.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: The Ark Of Covenant
Movie MacGuffins existed long before Indiana Jones, but this franchise really perfected the concept. Indy is always after some ancient artifact that is said to possess incredible power. If such an artifact were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be devastating to the world.
Both these movies share a biblical theme in their MacGuffins, but the Ark of the Covenant is just a more interesting item. There is a real mystery behind what it is and what it can do. It all pays off wonderfully in the epic gruesome finale when the Nazis finally open it and get more than they bargained for.
The Last Crusade: The Comedy
This series has always known the importance of throwing some comedy in with all the action and adventure elements. Each movie has its share of genuinely funny moments, but The Last Crusade has the biggest laughs.
While turning Marcus Brody into a bumbling comedic relief character was unfortunate, the interplay between Indy and his father is often hilarious. It's great seeing Indy revert to this child desperate for his father's approval and to see Connery playing the proper scholar who is appalled by all the violence around him.
Raiders Of The Lost Ark: Indy The Hero
Legend has it that Steven Spielberg was considering directing a James Bond movie before George Lucas convinced him to take on an original hero instead. And Indiana Jones was certainly set apart from other big-screen heroes. He was smarter than the average good guy, and while he got beat-up often, he could handle himself in a fight.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is the best example of Indy as a cinematic hero. From the very first scene, as he goes through the temple filled with boobytraps to his iconic "fight" with the swordsman, he is a hero that explodes off the screen.
The Last Crusade: Indy The Archaeologist
While it's fun to see Indy beat up bad guys, he is first and foremost an archaeologist which is one of the most interesting aspects of the character. The Last Crusade is truly the movie where Indy's intelligence as a scholar shines through.
He seems genuinely excited about the work, which we come to learn is inspired by his father's teachings. This makes the final journey to find the Holy Grail all the more satisfying as Indy and his father both us their knowledge to escape the traps, beat the bad guys and find the true cup.