Place 4: Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny
The most recently released fifth film with James Mangold as the new director faced a lot of criticism. The plot was said to be unoriginal, and Harrison Ford at 80 years old was simply too old for the role. And yes, some of these points are valid. Nevertheless, the film offers a number of highlights that comfortably place it above the fourth part.
For instance, the opening sequence, where we see a young Indy fighting against Nazis again. Some nostalgic moments with appearances from familiar characters also convince. And while the time travel element at the end isn’t fully utilized, it offers a new, fresh idea in the franchise.
All in all, The Wheel of Destiny is a bit more sensational, but an entertaining film with an Indy who refuses to retire. Did you know that Harrison Ford was originally not intended for the role?
Place 3: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The second part of the series takes place a few years before the first one. Indiana Jones unexpectedly lands in the Indian jungle. This time he is accompanied by the singer Willie, who performs at a nightclub right at the beginning of the film. Additionally, the little boy Shorty is along for the ride and brings a certain slapstick to the film.
Thus, Temple of Doom once again offers a lot of fun, but compared to the other installments in the series, it is significantly darker. There are scenes of torture, children are kidnapped and held as slaves, and Indy suffers more than usual – for young viewers, the film can be overwhelming.
The portrayal of the Indian population and their habits, for instance regarding food, caused criticism even back then. From today’s perspective, some scenes seem simply bizarre. Those who can overlook that will find the second part to be a somewhat darker, but very worthwhile film.
