Classic Review: The Temple of Doom (1984)

Following up one of the best movies ever made, is an incredibly tough feat, and whilst The Temple of Doom doesn’t quite reach the heights of its predecessor, Steven Spielberg still offers up an undeniably fun adventure albeit one that is objectively the worst of the original trilogy. Some of the magic from the first is lost, the movie is devoid of any real plot, there are a ton of problematic racial stereotypes, and Willie Scott (Capshaw) is a very irritating character. All that being said, no one can deny that it is fueled by ridiculously fun action and witty dialogue that makes its near 2-hour running time fly by. This time around, the story sees legendary archeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) embark on another adventure to retrieve an ancient stone and free a group of poor villagers from the clutches of an evil priest.

Now nothing can quite beat the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Yet, The Temple of Doom attempts to out do it with a strange music video-esque intro before hurling audiences straight into a thrilling action scene. But while the Raiders of the Lost Ark opening scene is so flawless, this new opening fails to even meet the greatness of its predecessor. The opening sets the stage for the rest of a film that never took itself too seriously. One of the major criticisms of the film back in the day was how that silliness makes for a different tone that somewhat falls a little flat here. Though it may not a terrible film by any stretch, it delivers perhaps the most fun anyone will have with the franchise. Not only does the humor consistently land, the action is over-the-top, and the score is once again sensational. Along with the introduction of Short Round (Ke Huy Quan), the result is another fun adventure.

This time around, the franchise’s exhilarating action and jaw-dropping stunt work is dialed to eleven. Whether it’s Indy, Short Round and Willie sailing through the air on an inflatable raft, riding through mines in a mine cart chase sequence, or climbing up a collapsed bridge with crocodiles waiting for their next meal at the bottom, The Temple of Doom does not disappoint. On top of the thrilling action, Spielberg imbues these sequences with witty dialogue and cartoonish slapstick humor, which especially works in this film. Its rhythm and balance between spectacle and humor only adds to the fun. Although the stakes are lower, there was still plenty of entertainment to be had.

Although fun, the film is also still a pretty scary. Sure, the villains may not be as menacing as Nazis despite one pulling his victim’s heart out of their chest, this film’s villains don’t come anywhere close to being as memorable as the Nazis of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Meanwhile, it occasionally shrouds audiences in a haunting atmosphere especially as Indy and his crew begin exploring the mines. Notably the scene filled with thousands of creepy crawlies has the potential to provide enough nightmare fuel for life, especially for kids.

While Ford once again knocks it out of the park as Indiana Jones, it’s the new additions to the cast that really steal the show. Short Round is, without a doubt, one of the best characters in the whole franchise. His giddy childhood wonder and fearless thirst for adventure is infectious and Quan is simply perfect casting. While Willie Scott’s irritating nature is not the fault of Capshaw, her character was just annoyingly written. Thankfully, the character has not been seen again since.

In the end, The Temple of Doom is an undeniably entertaining film. Although it lacks much of the seriousness and somewhat grounded sense of reality of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg still fills audiences with an enthralling sense of adventure and fun. Though it may be the weakest of the original Indiana Jones trilogy, it is still a fantastic movie in its own right.

still courtesy of Lucasfilm

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.