Vaderisnothayden said:
You obviously think that your opinion that Raiders is better is unchallengeable objective fact. Fine, people often think their opinions are objective fact, and sometimes they're right.

As obvious as it may seem to you, it is not the case. My opinion is my opinion and nothing more. Most certainly not unchallengeable fact.

I do believe Raiders is a better movie than the later two films, and I think there is quite a bit of evidence to support this, but I am not really interested in discussion it in detail because it will go nowhere. Your feelings are that each Indiana Jones film got a bit more Indiana Jonesy until it reach a superlative level of Indiana Jonesiness with The Last Crusade. My feeling are that a near perfect action/adventure film was made in the 80's, beautifully styled after old black and white adventure serials, and the three sequels that followed drifted away from the spirit and quality of the original, finally ending on IJATKOTCS which felt like a cheap comedy spoof of itself.

I cannot foresee you or I saying anything to convince the other to abandoned their current point of view on the subject at hand.