Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

User Review

• 

  thismoviestinks

  8 / 10

  Last Crusade is a fine return to form for director Steven Spielberg and his popular hero. After what I consider to be a misguided tangent in Temple of Doom, (although I'm learning that many of my readers disagree) Spielberg and Lucas returned to what worked the first time around: a Nazi plot, Christian mythology, and a likeable supporting cast.
  
  Indy works best when he's engaging in detective work and traveling to multiple exotic locations. Last Crusade reestablishes these strengths while also expanding on the title character, providing backstory and adding meaningful new characters, namely, Sean Connery as his father, historian and fellow antiquity seeker Dr. Henry Jones. Connery is terrific in this role. He and Ford have outstanding chemistry, and play off each other wonderfully in both comedic and dramatic moments. This is the kind of foil Indy needed, not the family friendly silliness of Short Round.
  
  I aknowledge that much of the action and plotting of this film is derivative of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Typically I deduct points for this when it comes to sequels, but it doesn't bother me here. When Harrison Ford is punching out Nazis and making daring escapes behind that rousing John Williams score I can't think of anything worth complaining about. In fact, I'm right where I want to be.

  Like?

  0 member like this review.