RateItAll: The Opinion Network

The first and best of this series. Great modern take on the old low budget serials from the 1940's and 50's. Well crafted film with never a dull moment.

Another great favorite, Harrison Ford, I never get enough.

Great movie and excellent acting by Harrison. Evidently, you can't expect less from a Spielberg movie.

I liked this Ark of the Covenant quest tale, and it is probably the best of the lot of the three in the genre.

There were some good scenes, but the cartoonish action got boring after a while and the ending was about the least plausible I have ever seen. Without spoiling it for anybody, shall we say it ended with an act of God?

Classic action from one of the best in the business. Those damned snakes, too. :)

I remember watching this growing up and I'm still not tired of watching it.

I thought it was stupid because they won't be able to find the box at the end and they wen't to a lot of trouble to find it in the first place.

One of the best action movies ever; though for my money, a bit overboard with the snakes.

What can I say, the perfect action movie--good story, great action, handsome leading man, tough leading lady, villainous bad guys (booo hiss), great humor, great scenery--it just scores 100% on the enjoyable scale! I too loved the scene where he was fighing the bad guys and finally just got fed up and shot the last one--don't know why that is so funny other than the look on Fords face! Alas, the others in the series never did meet up with this one, but they are still enjoyable.

Best indiana jones movie ever, no doubt.

True classic, the part where Jones shoots the guy with the sword was priceless. Apparently, Harrison Ford came up with the idea that while filming.

One of the best action movies ever made and best of the Indiana Jones movies so far

love the trilogy. the last is actually the best.

one of the greatest adventure movies ever made.

This movie hits the ground running from the get-go. Non-stop action and the movie pays homage to the "Golden Era" of Hollywood being set in the 30's which I'm a sucker for anyway. Fun movie all around and one of my all-time favorites.

A rare example of a film that looks great on paper and still delivers the goods. There was an A-list team behind the camera with George Lucas, Stephen Speilberg and Lawrence Kasdan writing. Often that much talent lends to ego clashes and a less-than-unified final product that has pieces of each genius. Harrison Ford was perfectly cast as a hero, a noble man with very human flaws and more bravado than good sense. I think it's his best ever performance. The 1940's period presentation is perfect and the film bears little or no sign of the times in which it was made, the early 80's. It's an homage to the serial popcorn adventure matinee of a by-gone day and a lot of fun. The joy of the first film was lost in the subsequent sequels, which were completely lacking in originality and spirit. In fact the noble characteristics of Indy is barely recognizable in the second one.

I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but this movie just didn't do it for me. Perhaps it's because I went into the theatre already disliking Spielberg movies as a general rule (with the qualified exception of "Jaws")...who knows? Perhaps it's impossible for me to be objective when it comes to Spielberg. I concede that he's a master craftsman when it comes to the technique of constructing a film, but the heart and soul of his movies tend to be empty, superficial feel-good fluff...at least that was my feeling at the time this picture came out (and after seeing the recent "War of the Worlds" I don't really find any reason to change my opinion in that regard). To me, this was a throwback to the serials of the 1930's and 40's that were done far, FAR more cheaply but much more charmingly way back then. Definitely proves the maxim that "Less is more."

The first and by far the best of the trilogy. Holds up well on TV 4th and 5th time around.

No one should ever remake this movie. How could they do it better?

This made Harrison Ford even more of a star than when he was Han Solo. Odd, he was better in the Jones series but he'll be remebered as Solo.

One of the greatest (if not THE greatest) action and thrill movies of all time. How anyone can rate it less than 5 is incomprehensible! Indy is into and out of one bind after another, almost non-stop!

The first of the Indy films and THE BEST. I saw it at the theatre when it first came out, having heard very little, and was thoroughly entertained. Great fun, some violent scenes, so keep away from the little impressionable ones.

Harrason Ford Played it great even when he was sick during the "suppose" fight sence with the sword guy he just didn't feel well that so he improvised it was great. I would have done the same thing

The best of the series. As close to perfect as the best movies done in the neo-American style.

A good movie to see over and over!

Perhaps the perfect action thriller movie. Funny, suspenseful, dramatic, action packed. Has it all.

no one does it better than speilberg(plus i just felt like raising the rating.)

Adventure, Religion, Nazis being vaporized, Serpants, cryptology...This movie inspired me on SO many levels.

What a brilliant film!Harrison Ford was awesome,as he was in the entire trilogy!

Ford is a classic every day man put in tough situations. He fit perfect in the movie and a real adventure.

The best Indiana Jones movie and quite possible the best movie ever. Indiana Jones fights snakes, rolling boulders and terrifying Nazis to find the lost ark. It balances humor and action extremly well and it never gets old no matter how many times you watch it. If you don't like this mover you need to call 911 as soon as possible.

Snakes aren't that scary, are they? anyhow, i loved it. it's my second favorite so far.

Larger than life comic book heroes usually don't come out as good as Jones but Harrison Ford gives him a real rugged and intelligent demeanor. He manages some of the most daring and at times comical action ever filmed. Best Scene: Jones shooting the swordsman in the market place after the swordsman's impressive display of swordsmanship.

If you like these type of movies where a dude in a cowboy hat flies to a desecrated countryside to rid the inhabitants of an evil plague of desolation, then you'll probably enjoy this flick. I know I did.

Truly a modern classic and the the best of the trilogy. It brings out the best in George Lucas and Steven Speilberg. Harrison Ford was born to play Indiana Jones. If you have not seen this movie get out of your tomb and get it.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Well written, well acted, and the special effects were very good for the time.

Absolutely 'Boy's Own' fiction...superb stuff. An adventure that has you rooted to the spot.

Who can compete with it it's a classic I love it how he was scared of snakes.

Ever since it's release, Raiders has been the gold standard to which action movies have aspired to.

real good

I wanted to give it a 5, because it is a classic in a sense; however, it will probably not rank up there with Jaws, Psycho, Alien or other classics, but it is a lot of good clean fun to watch.

The best film in the whole series.

The best movie of all time. It does what it does better than any movie did what it did ever made. It is a masterpiece. It is the most entertaining movie ever made. And it should get a lot more love.

This movie will always be a classic.

I always regard this movie as something I can watch when I'm sick or tired. It doesn't force me to think and it keeps me entertained.

Released in and the top grossing film for 1981, Raiders Of The Lost Ark remains one of the most popular films ever produced. For the few who are uninitiated, the movie is an action-packed thrill ride which features rough and ready archeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) who is technically a college professor, but his real work is flying around the globe searching for lost artifacts. The film starts out fast with Jones on adventure in Peru where the viewer is introduced to fellow archeologist and nemesis Belloq (Paul Freeman) and ends with Jones searching and finding the ultimate artifact, namely the Ark of the Covenant. As other comments noted, Tom Selleck was originally cast as Indiana Jones; however, Harrison Ford played the part perfectly. Jones is human and vulnerable, not merely an action figure going through the action as he has his Achilles heel in snakes and realizes that it's not the age but the mileage. In other words, the viewer is never sure that Jones will get out of each fix. The love interest Marion Ravenswood was well cast with Karen Allen who has a nice mix of beauty and girl next door looks. The viewer can actually see her keeping up with Jones in a way a blond bombshell never could. The bottom line is that Raiders Of The Lost Ark is a can't miss movie and refreshed the action genre so much that all subsequent action films are measured thereby.

Not as good as the Temple of doom, but great.

I'm only 16, but for most of my life the plane and chase scenes were my favorite in all of cinema.

Not the best Indiana Jones movie, but the second best. It was good for it's time, but the special effects look cheesy now, and the fight scene between Indiana and that big dude was kind of lame. All in all, a good movie. Not great, but good.

This movie is great. For those of you who like action adventure with the depth of Harrison Ford, you will not be disappointed. If you've seen the movie before give it another look sometime. It is always entertaining. Much like other George Lucase movies (Pre Episode One), you can count on this one to be highly entertaining and rich in its settings. This movie is worth a look just for the locations alone.

By far the greatest no-nonsense action movie ever created. I saw this movie the summer before my first-grade year--I have been fascinated with Archaeology ever since (I even studied it in college). This movie looks as good 22 years later as half the action movies filmed today.

Wow, am i glad to see this movie so high on the publics list. I love this movie and every movie in the trilogy. I am also pleased to see that the DVD for all three movies is coming out in november. This is a great Fictional movie that has the power to excite peopl of all ages. I reccomend this movie to everyone, everywhere of all ages. If you havent seen it see it. And if you have seen it watch it again.

exciting..... for the kiddies. too predictable though

One of the best ever. Perfectly cast, awesome music, and puts most other action/adventure movies to shame.

it kicked some butt!!!!!

The first and probobly the best of the INDY Trilogy, I could watch it over and over. The whole trilogy is spectacular (Temple of Doom is my least favorite, however) and the character of Indiana Jones is a real person, portrayed perfectly by the classic Harrison Ford. The general Ideas in this movie make it wonderful, and although the special affects are not exactly up to par with the 2003 stuff, they are still very good, esspecially for the time when it was made. plus, the one-liners are great.

An Excellent Awesome Great Adventure Flick!!!

Why do I think this is such a great movie? I dunno..I'm making this up as I go ;)

deserves more stars than five. this is a classic and because of it's setting it's also timless(like star wars) this was the first film that showed ford cuold be much more than han solo.(and to think tom selleck was offered the role first)might have seemed good then would seem really bad now. my favorite part of this film is when ark is being transported on the ship inside the crate with the nazi swastika on it , suddenly the hateful symbol begins to slowly burn and is totally comsumed by "holy fire" awsome scene hinting at the ultimate power of God.

Its a comic book for the screen, there are better flicks out there even from Lucas himself.

Who could not like any of the Indiana Jones films? This role suits Harrison Ford down to the ground, cheeky, moody and a good sense of humour - the action scenes are great and the script is really good. Great family film.

One of my all-time favorites. I've watched it at least a dozen times. Harrison Ford does a perfect job as the adventurer archaeologist Indiana Jones who is in search of a very sacred religious artifact. Trouble is, the Nazi's are after it too. Anyway, this is one of the best movies I've ever seen.

This was a great movie, not only for Steven Speilberg, but for Harrison Ford that kept him from being typecasted as the space warrior. Now, he plays a swashbuckling archeologist and does it very well. A lot of adventure in this movie that holds up really well.

Watch as the big rock almost crushes Indy! Watch as Indy shoots the bad Nepalese and saves Marion! Watch as the truck drags Indy through the Egyptian desert roads! And of course, watch the 'Wrath of God' Yaweh lightning bolts tear apart those stinking Nazis to pieces! I've met miserable 80 year old men who have hated every movie and everything since Nixon lost to Kennedy rant and rave about this film. I love everything about this film.

Unquestionably the greatest action/adventure film of all time. Spielberg and Lucas together make an unbeatable combination. With great performances, solid directing and story-telling and a wonderful score, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the epitome of what good ole' fashioned entertainment is all about.

good movie, a little cheezy and predictable though.