Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984) Dir: Steven Spielberg
Instagram post:
After recently rewatching my favourite film in the franchise, the time came to rewatch my least favourite. After the success of George Lucas' 'Star Wars', Lucasfilm looked to continue in that form with this 1984 action adventure sequel, also directed by Steven Spielberg. I've seen this film a fair few times, but never connected with it like I did the other two in the original trilogy, I hoped to enjoy it more this time.
It's easy to forget that this is actually a prequel, with the events of the film taking place chronologically before 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark'. The story is a bit silly, and nowhere near as strong as the first film, but retains that sense of adventure that made the first film so fun.
However, there are some huge issues with the film. Most flagrantly, it stereotypes Chinese and Indian culture to a, quite frankly, ridiculous degree - yeah, the film is pretty racist. It's also pretty pro-colonial at the end too, which is another disappointing and dated shortcoming.
Aside from that, a few of the practical effects also look a little janky if you really look for them, especially towards the climax of the adventure. I know a lot of people enjoy the minecart sequence, and while I did find it fun, it was also pretty dumb. Unfortunately, dumb is the word I'd use to describe a lot of this film.
Harrison Ford is at least one of the highlights, with yet another commendable performance. Although, his acting when his character is not quite himself - if you know, you know - is a bit cheesy. I definitely prefer his previous outing as the titular archaeologist and adventurer, but this is a fine display for Ford.
Kate Capshaw was actually a lot more entertaining than I remember her being in this film. Previously, I found her very annoying, but she provides a refreshing and amusing contrast to Jones - she represents the everyday person, who has no idea what's going on or how to handle any of it. Capshaw's over-the-top reactions are also some of the funniest parts of the film, for what it's worth.
I love Ke Huy Quan in this film. Just like in 'The Goonies', he has an unshakable sense of fun, comedy, and adventure, that permeates the screen and makes his character extremely endearing. Despite the film's weaknesses, Ke Huy Quan is most definitely one of its biggest strengths. He's a great little companion for Indy.
Amrish Puri might play a heavily dated, stereotyped, and hoenstly comical, villain, but he does at least do so fairly well. His commitment certainly cannot be faulted - he had an intensity to him that genuinely terrified me as a child. By that reckoning, he is at least a scary antagonist, but he comes across more cartoonish as an adult viewer, to be honest.
Overall, this is definitely my least favourite of the films in the original 'Indiana Jones' trilogy. It's aged so terribly, and, although some of the action is fun, and the adventure side of the film is certainly enjoyable, it's hard to look past just how absurdly offensive it is, especially by today's standards. I understand that people have a lot of sentimental love for this one, but it's just not that good, in my view.
Comments