Rabat – Although lacking the extensive CGI capabilities of modern-day franchises such as the “Avengers” or DC canon, the 1981 release of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was the highest-grossing film of the year at the time, and spawned four follow-up movies in its wake. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’s creation was created as a homage to adventure serials of the 1930s and 1940s, and over forty years after its release, it still has the magic to entertain.
Jet set
The latest instalment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), features action set in Tangiers (although filmed in Fes and Oujd) and the American titular character is no stranger to global travel. The movie gave viewers a storyline spanning Peru, the USA, Nepal, Egypt, and the final conclusion on an island in the Aegean. Due to budget constraints at the time, montage scenes were cut in favour of the now iconic depictions of the red line moving on a map while Indiana Jones flies from country to country in the opening stages of the movie. This visual was so well-received that it is a recurring feature across the franchise, as well as the subject of numerous parodies.
Clear sides
Good vs Evil is clearly established in Raiders: Jones races against time and the motley crew of treasure hunters to find the Arc of the Covenant and stop it falling into the hands of the Nazis. From costumes to musical themes, there is no doubt who the audience should be cheering for.
This may make the movie sound predictable, however although our good guy hero has a tough exterior, there is depth to the character and he suffers both physically and emotionally at the hands of his Nazi foes with Marion, his love interest. As an archeology professor who steals and sells artifacts, he is a flawed hero who fumbles and stumbles his way through the narrative with equal measures of grit and self-aware humor, admitting “I’m making this up as I go.”
Emotion
With an award-winning musical score from the giant of movie soundtracks John Williams, Raiders is filled with emotional peaks and troughs that give it its classic movie feel accompanied by swelling and evocative orchestral sounds. The movie’s big set pieces – the iconic boulder scene, the truck chase and the Well of Souls to name just three – are all landmark moments in action/adventure cinema. Each provides not only a thrilling sequence for the audience, but a key emotional point to anchor what is a relatively simple plot.
Our hero’s efforts
Unusually for a Hollywood movie, our heroes are largely unsuccessful in their efforts. Blending realistic reactions to a plotline based on the supernatural, it goes against the more typical US narratives of the time where the hero wins all. We willingly suspend belief for the supernatural while our heroes believably fail time and time again, despite their best efforts.
A movie that has it all
With a sweeping original score, iconic action set pieces, and stellar performances from all of the cast, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a family movie with something for everyone. It was not until Stephen Sommers’ “The Mummy” (1999) that another film came close to rivaling Indiana Jones. Indy’s longevity has seen the franchise continue to grow, with the most recent addition hitting the screens in 2023. Blending action, adventure, romance, fantasy, and history, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is a fun family watch that still holds up over 40 years after its initial release.
