Raiders of the Lost Ark
Category
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Director
Steven Spielberg
Cast
- Harrison Ford
- Karen Allen
- Paul Freeman
- Ronald Lacey
- Wolf Kahler
Release Date
12 June 1981
Synopsis
With a team of Hollywood greats Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan and Philip Kaufman sitting together to produce an action-adventure movie reminiscent of those movie serials and cliffhangers so popular during the early part of the 20th century, you know that the final product will be a certified hit. Introducing, Indiana Jones - adventure-seeker, bespectacled archeology professor and lover. Raiders of the Lost Ark is the first installment of the the Indiana Jones series, and audiences the world over will forever remember the thrill and excitement of this cinematic joyride from the very beginning to the end.
The movie begins with Harrison Ford's most popular movie figure searching for the Hovito idol in the perilous jungles of Peru. To get to his prized treasure, Jones cleverly escapes booby traps only to end up losing his find to archaeological foe, Rene Bolloq, played by Paul Freeman. Jones returns to his professor duties, and just as he was about to assume his day-to-day routine, news of Nazis attempting to find the Ark of the Covenant to gain supremacy through mystical means was brought to Jones, and he learned that his former mentor Abner Ravenwood is being sought as well. Ravenwood possesses the crucial piece of the Staff of Ra which will help find the Ark's precise location. Finding out the invincible power that the Ark can provide the Nazis from Marcus Brody, played by Denholm Elliot, Jones hops on a plane to Nepal and encounters former lover Marion (Karen Allen), Abner Ravenwood's daughter, who brought along with her the piece of the Staff of Ra. Their encounter is only the beginning of the quest for the Ark, as many surprises come along their way.
Jones, along with his many different companions, take us from Nepal to Cairo to England, from the dessert to the jungle and to the sea. And we get a large dose of his quick wit, his famous hat and whip, his thirst for adventure, and his fear of snakes. These and more make Raiders of the Lost Ark an action-packed ride that will have you at the edge of your seat from start to finish.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is definitely fast-paced and will leave you breathless with its exotic locations, booby-trapped surprises, and clever twists, sprinkled with humorous one-liners and comedic banter between the characters. Spielberg titillates his audience's senses, entertaining them with fast colorful action, spectacularly memorable sights and sounds, and with the intriguing and endearing character of Indiana Jones defeating all his enemies and succeeding against all odds.