Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Starring: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, and Jonathan Ke Quan.
Plot: It's 1935, and Indiana Jones is in Shanghai attempting to make a deal with a local crime boss. But when the deal goes south, he has to leave town with his sidekick Short Round and a famous singer Willie Scott. But when their plane crash lands, they arrive in a struggling Indian village. Their spiritual rock has been taken by a nearby palace, along with the children of the village. When Indy decides to go check out the place, he discovers that it holds many secrets, including cults, sacrifices, and mind control. Will he be able to save the village, or even himself?
Plot: It's 1935, and Indiana Jones is in Shanghai attempting to make a deal with a local crime boss. But when the deal goes south, he has to leave town with his sidekick Short Round and a famous singer Willie Scott. But when their plane crash lands, they arrive in a struggling Indian village. Their spiritual rock has been taken by a nearby palace, along with the children of the village. When Indy decides to go check out the place, he discovers that it holds many secrets, including cults, sacrifices, and mind control. Will he be able to save the village, or even himself?
Good: Harrison Ford is back, and once again does an amazing job as the titular character. He manages to bring the humor, the charm, and the action for a second time, and seems to have fun doing it. Jonathan Ke Quan does a good job as Short Round. A lot of Indiana Jones fans find him to be annoying, but I enjoyed his performance. I especially like the paternal relationship between Indy and Shorty that is present throughout the film. You can see it when they escape traps, fight bad guys, and even play cards. John Williams also returns, and while his main theme remains the best music in the movie, there are great new pieces. For example, "Slave Children's Crusade" is very entertaining to listen to, with its slow build up and its bombastic climax. The action is well choreographed and exciting, with varied set pieces. The special effects are very good, especially during the infamous sacrifice scene. It uses a great mix of sets and practical effects so that you really believe that a man has been sacrificed to Kali.
Bad: One big problem with this film is its pacing, especially with the action scenes. The action is few and far between for the first two acts, then switches into mostly action for the last 30 minutes. While the action is well made during this last act, it gets tiring after a while. Another issue that I have is the character Willie. Kate Capshaw's performance isn't the problem per say, but rather it's the way the character's written. Willie's a huge step down from Raiders's Marion, the latter being a stronger and more interesting female role than the former. She can get very annoying with her constant screaming and her unnecessary commentary on the situations she's in. As Indy says in one scene, "The biggest trouble with her is the noise". One final problem is the somewhat racist portrayal of Indian culture. I may not be an expert, but I don't think that real Indian people eat chilled monkey brains or worship devil gods. It's not as bad as it is in 1941, since that movie was targeting a more specific group of people more offensively, but it can get uncomfortable at some points.
Trivia:
Final Verdict: To me, this film is a mixed bag. It has great action, but it's poorly paced. Many of the characters are great, but some are annoying. I would recommend that you check it out if you liked the first one, or if your just a fan of action/adventure movies. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Next time, we'll take a look at Whoopi Goldberg's film debut in The Color Purple.
Bad: One big problem with this film is its pacing, especially with the action scenes. The action is few and far between for the first two acts, then switches into mostly action for the last 30 minutes. While the action is well made during this last act, it gets tiring after a while. Another issue that I have is the character Willie. Kate Capshaw's performance isn't the problem per say, but rather it's the way the character's written. Willie's a huge step down from Raiders's Marion, the latter being a stronger and more interesting female role than the former. She can get very annoying with her constant screaming and her unnecessary commentary on the situations she's in. As Indy says in one scene, "The biggest trouble with her is the noise". One final problem is the somewhat racist portrayal of Indian culture. I may not be an expert, but I don't think that real Indian people eat chilled monkey brains or worship devil gods. It's not as bad as it is in 1941, since that movie was targeting a more specific group of people more offensively, but it can get uncomfortable at some points.
Trivia:
- Kate Capshaw needed screaming lessons for this role.
- Capshaw is now married to Spielberg. This film was were they first met, and they now have five children together.
- The giant vampire bats were actually fruit bats.
- This film is a prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark, because that movie took place in 1936, and this one takes place in 1935.
Final Verdict: To me, this film is a mixed bag. It has great action, but it's poorly paced. Many of the characters are great, but some are annoying. I would recommend that you check it out if you liked the first one, or if your just a fan of action/adventure movies. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.
Next time, we'll take a look at Whoopi Goldberg's film debut in The Color Purple.
Stay Tuned
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