Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - Review

“The search for the Grail is not archaeology. It's a race against evil!” – A review of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. 

After the tonal change of Temple of Doom, it was difficult to know what to expect from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Whilst I truly enjoyed Temple of Doom, it had lost something of what made this franchise so enjoyable in the first place. Premiering in 1989, the film had an important end to achieve – it had to recapture the light-hearted adventurous spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark, moving away from the darker feel of Temple of Doom. Thankfully, this film does it beautifully, and it even leaves room for some character development and heartfelt moments.

Set in Europe in the late 1930s, the Last Crusade follows our beloved archaeologist as he is recruited by a wealthy philanthropist, named Walter Donovan, to search for the Holy Grail, the legendary cup of Christ himself. However, this isn’t a standard adventure for Indy; his estranged father, Professor Henry Jones, Sr., played by the legendary Sean Connery, has also been looking for the artifact and has disappeared in the process. Indy is thrust into a race against time as he searches for his father, follows clues and seeks to find the Grail before the Nazis, who are as ever the main villains of the film.

This is without a doubt my favourite film in the franchise. The Last Crusade is funny, adventurous and memorable, but it also has an emotional angle which I absolutely love. The relationship between Indy and his father is complicated; they have been estranged, yet there’s still clearly affection between them. This isn’t just a search for the Grail, it’s also a journey of a father and son starting to finally understand each other, and the friction and warmth between the two create a truly believable father-son chemistry which makes this film truly special.

I absolutely love their relationship. There’s humour – I laughed so hard when I realised that our hero wasn’t really named Indiana, he was named after his father. “We named the dog Indiana” is one of my favourite lines in the whole film. I understand completely not wanting the same name as your parent, but nicknaming himself after his dog is something I find genuinely hilarious. “I had a lot of fond memories of that dog.” Fair enough Indy, I love dogs, too. Another highlight is the “no ticket” scene, which again never fails to make me laugh out loud.

There is of course still action – the motorcycle chase is another highlight – but I love the juxtaposition between Indy’s recklessness and his fathers reserved and calculated nature. Henry Jones Sr. loves history, and it seems that his love of the subject has rivalled the love he has of his own son. Despite this, it’s a joy to watch the two come to terms with each other, as their relationship starts to improve and they begin to respect and value each other, not just as family, but as men and equals.

The cinematography is incredible, as we see glimpses of Venetian catacombs, deserts and, of course, booby trapped temples. This is a film with perfect pacing, as we move from dogfights to tank chases, all shot with brilliant camera work. Action isn’t too heavily relied upon though; action scenes are often brief but brilliant, bringing back the exhilaration of the first film.

Indy and his father are not the only memorable characters. I love Sallah, who is a loyal colleague and friend to Indy, and Elsa, a historian, who is a complex and interesting villain. Elsa particularly has stayed with me; part ally, part antagonist, she has an equally complicated relationship with Indy as her loyalties shift, and her decisions become key in the quest to find the Grail.

There’s so much imagery and symbolism to enjoy in the Last Crusade as well. We’re watching our heroes search for the Grail but also for meaning, as the film explores themes such as mythology and faith.

The emotional depth and family friendly atmosphere of the Last Crusade won the film huge success, including an Academy Award, and it’s easy to see why. Blending the light-hearted roots of the first film with emotional depth created something engaging, fun and exciting, and in my opinion, this is the best film in the franchise.

I honestly believe that this film is essentially perfect. It’s funny, witty, heartfelt and thrilling, full of action and emotion, and the poignant family drama brought something to this film that the previous two had lacked. Early on, we even see a young Indy, giving us a glimpse of the path he had taken and how he had ended up as the beloved adventurer and archaeologist. Indy even gives us advice for our own adventures – and if this joyful, escapist masterpiece makes you want to head out for one of your own, always remember that adventure isn’t always what you think it’ll be: “So forget any ideas you've got about lost cities, exotic travel, and digging up the world. We do not follow maps to buried treasure, and "X" never, ever marks the spot.”

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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