Quick Review: Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom (1984)

November 18, 2013 / Leave a Comment

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
NOVEMBER 18, 2013

Immediately tossing the viewer into the harrowing world of Indiana Jones, “The Temple Of Doom” is a literal roller coaster ride of action and adventure, highlighting the characteristics and mannerisms that audiences loved in the original film. From the opening sequence of an antidote vial being kicked around to a car chase to escaping a pilot-less plane, the film never lets up, eventually landing Indy in an underground cathedral for death worshipers, leading to the iconic rail car chase in the abandoned mine shaft. With some of the most memorable sidekicks, “Temple of Doom” introduces the bumbling, loud mouth nightclub dancer Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) and the loveable Short Round (Quan Ke Huy), whose “you call him Mr. Jones” becomes the anthem for the film. With humor and action throughout, it’s hard to deny that “Temple of Doom” contains everything needed to be a successful venture. Even though it often lands as one of the least favorites of the original three, the film still holds up and produces a James Bond-like procedural that we come to know and love. Again led wonderfully by Harrison Ford, who makes this character his own and produces the same charm we receive from the James Bond saga, Indiana Jones remains one of the most iconic symbols in filmmaking and has produced one of the biggest fan-bases in film history. With that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas prove they’re an impossible team to beat and continue their amazing legacies.