My two cents
The order i saw the Indiana Jones movies had a strong impact on how i evaluate every movie in the series.
My first movie was The Last Crusade. It is (imo) the best Indiana Jones film of all time. Spielberg wasn’t interested doing another roller-coaster ride so he injected a charming & heart warming character drama into the story. It’s not about the grail - it’s about Father & Son who overcome their mutual enstrangement during the adventure. In terms of action & fantasy aspects it demands the least suspension of disbelief from the audience. Great cast, excellent set pieces. All in all a timeless action-adventure movie. Everything Raiders did, this movie does better by far - yes, i said that and i mean it! Some might argue that The Last Crusade is just a mere rehash of Raiders. But don’t forget: Spielberg & Lucas went back to the Raiders formula, because of the harsh reception that Temple of Doom recieved.
Raiders was second in my viewing order. Yes it is a great movie, but strangely this movie does not age very well for me. Everytime i watch it, i see new cracks in its patina.
Temple of Doom was third in my viewing order. It is childish, giggly and feels more like Quatermain movie. Indy is completely out of character and he acts often like a douche in the first half of the film. A fun 80s flick which undoubtely can stand on it’s own, if you erase The Last Crusade and Raiders from your mind.
Kingdom of the Cyrstal Skull … my fourth Indy movie. In the cinema i had a blast watching it. Instantly i thought: better than Temple of Doom. But with every subsequent viewing that movie gradually went down into oblivion. Lazy direction, lame-ass production values, underdeveloped MacGuffin, etc.
The Indiana Jones series (i hate calling it a franchise) belongs to the 80s. Every Indy aspect outside of that era sucked. I don’t want a fifth Indy movie. Ford is too OLD!
Cherish the ride into the sunset…
