Are you people really serious with this movie? I cannot believe myself as I watched the movie that this has been directed by Steven Spielberg let alone acclaiming this as one of best movies. You got to be kidding, whoever had praised it so much. Steven Spielberg is a master director, but this is not a movie that has to be taken by him. This must be joke . Really a joke that people are considering it so high. The Novelette The Thirty nine steps was reminded to me when I watched this movie. Even that was hyped but isn't worth it.… Expand

Who could possibly enjoy this? It was sick! Full of unnessecary killing and just like Saving Private Ryan, it makes the Germans look stupid! The Ark of the Covenant? Horrible plot device! And the theme? Barely hummable!

I have been told that this has been a masterpiece of action/adventure films. But I think my source told me wrong because during the film, I was quite bored, the quality kind of sucked. It was cheesy and the last quarter was very dull, I wasn't even engaged, there was no action, but a linear design of perspective. The writing and characters are okay, but overall the movie sucks. I9;m not going to watch this again.… Expand

This film is "The" Adventure film and an example of how to make a good blockbuster flick. Entertaining as hell with memorable action scenes, solid acting and a well told story. Absolute joyride from beginning to end.

I saw the movie first when I was 15. Back then, I thought it was spectacular. Now, when I watch it, I think it is extremely cheesy, with really bad dialogue, and with almost every scene looking so staged that it is unreal. You can almost see somebody yelling 'Action' and then the awful action sequence starts. Not an ounce of excitement, it looks just really ridiculous. The Germans are made look so dumb and stereotyped, it is just embarrassing. BAD FILMMAKING ! I guess it was a learning experience for Spielberg...… Expand

I FINALLY got round to watching this movie. It was great but I didn't really have as much fun as when I did while watching the Temple Of Doom. It's still a great movie and I'm glad I watched it.

Thanks to its unforgettable characters, excellent story, breathtaking action, great cinematography, and a perfect score from John Williams, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the all time classic action movies!

Raiders of the Lost of Ark is a masterpiece. It has some of the most famous scenes in move history from the beginning to the end. It is adventure like no other.

I recently saw this movie in my film class at school and i thought it was great. There was many action scenes that made the movie very entertaining. The fact that everyone can relate to Indiana Jones is was makes the movie so interesting. I would surely see it again.

Indiana Jones: Finally making archaeology cool! Indian Jones tops my list of greatest heroes of all time.

All time Classic!!

Totalllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyy!

As good as it gets. Long live Indiana Jones.

ATTENTION - INDY 4 [***SPOLIER***] The ark ends up in a box in a warehouse at AREA 51 which turns out to be a place for hiding the American Governments secrets

Geez, that "Chicago reader" critic DAve Kehr is not in a mood for this film and probably because he drinks too much alcohol and pills which turn him into crazy maniac! This is the best of all Indiana Jones series!

The chicago reader is dumb... they should stick to reading and not viewing movies. this movie is one of the greatest movies on the face of the earth!!!

A lot of fun and good actors!

The best of the best. Thank you Mr. Spielberg for Indiana Jones and his magic carpet ride of adventure. Desitned to become a classic.

One of the best movies ever made. From the "Paramount" opening title, to every action sequence, to the rousing John Willims score, and the memorable characters and villians, etc. etc. Danger! Romance! Comedy! Action! Adventure! This is what movies is all about.

This movie touches the adventurer in you (even if there isn't one), and makes you feel that somehow, perhaps in a past life, you also trotted the globe fighting the forces of evil in search of mythical archeological relics. Anyone who can't "let go" and allow themselves to be taken in by this masterpiece was deprived of a childhood, and if that happens to be the case, I can';t imagine any better therapy then seeing this movie once a year for the rest of your life. Kudos to all involved.… Expand

Why is the "Chicago Reader's" reviewer included in the tabulation for Raiders? The lowest score after it is 90. The reviewer probably masturbates to Blue Velvet and is the guy at the party going on and on about Dr. Stranglove. Ok, we get it, you are a Critic.

One of the greatest ever. I hope that Chicago Reader guy was instantly fired. HELLO! Does one need any more proof of ineptitude?

One of the greats in action/adventure. A timeless classic.

The best adventure movie ever conceived. Plain and simple.

It's unmissable. The action is outstanding, the romance between Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood was spellbinding, and the whole thing all together is just great. Despite it's flaws, it's definitely in my top 10 favourites.

Best Indiana Jones Movie ! This movie had great special effects ,a great story , and great acting. Probably the best movie I've ever seen!

How could one possibly rate Spielberg's achievements in ranking order? I doubt you can! Jaws is my personal favourite but to me, it's simply not possible to rank them all. One thing however is a fait-accompli - this film would be high in the list. I will always remember the first time I saw this film... I was 8 years old and the film had already been out for a couple of years (this was 1983). We hired the film from the local video store (which incidentally were still fairly new back then - seems like a century ago now!!!) and headed for home for a night of fun viewing. However, just as we began to watch the film a big storm which had been encroaching for a hour or so finally began to unleash its power. And unleash it did, with thunderous rain, hail and wind, which eventually led to a tree breaking through the lounge room window! We managed to get it patched up as best we could and then resumed watching the movie, with the wild storm continuing unabated outside. Raiders is such a classic that we hardly noticed the storm thereafter, broken window and all! We were so completely enraptured with the adventure and wit and danger and fun of this film that we were all oblivious to the carnage occurring outside. The whole family loved it and has done time and time again since. Harrison Ford was made for this role and he proved that with equally brilliant performaces in the sequels. And Spielberg...well what can you say? He's a genius! Whenever I think back to that night, even though I remember the wildest storm I have ever experienced, all I really think about is seeing this all-time classic for the first time! An experience I'll never forget.… Expand

A great story that was intelligently made, Raiders of the Lost Ark is the best adventure story to date. From begining to end, this movie is utterly engrossing.

From beginning to end, Raiders is a ride not to missed and a movie not to be forgetten. Refreshingly original inspite of its inspiration to the 30s and 40s comics, the film is still a delicious masterpiece worth experiencing again and again.

This was one of the best movies ever. The theme song is really great and still gets stuck in my head. Steven Speilberg looks like my science teacher! Greatest movie ever!

The greatest adventure movie ever made! Forget the 30/100 review, that is bull!

How thel hell did Dave kehr give this a 30? One of my favorite movies ever.

Awesome movie that introduced Harrison Ford's most iconic role (sorry Han Solo fans). Only complaint I had was because of the way the Ark of the Covenant was portrayed, but everything else was great!

It doesn't have the same depth as Star Wars, but Harrison Ford's performance is the only saving grace in this entertaining adventure film.

I really liked it. Thought it was a good adventure film that established Harrison Ford as the go to guy for any action film. This is a must watch for anyone.

10yrs old watching this in the movie theater.... nothing better. Just watched it again the other night and I still like it very much... still a 9 for me 30 some yrs later :)

Very good story and lots of great action. All the acting was done very well. This was the best of the series.

Let me start by saying that this was one of the most excellent films of the 80s. Exciting, fast-paced, and a masterpiece itself. The debt that Harrison Ford brings to his character is outstanding, and nothing made his carreer lift off as well as this. This film is perfect in many ways, besides the dialogue. but for right now, I'll start with the story. The idea of finding the Lost Ark is not very original, for it was attempted many times in real life. But the fact that an archeoligist, inside a Nazi camp, with plenty of back-stabbers, and the sexiest, most beatiful women he'll ever meet AND trying to find the lost ark. Now thats original. Then the acting in this film is pure goodness. Sadly, Harrison Ford wasw robbed of a nomination-yes, not an award, but a NOMINATION- and thats just sad for the Academy. The acting by lead actress Karen Allen isnt as good as I hoped, but still a passing grade. Which is just one of the reasons why I gave this film an 8, not an expected 10, like most people. So, acting is good. Then comes the cinematagrophy. Wow. Next is the sound and soundtrack. This main theme might have been one of the best ever. Its one of the most recognizable, and it is such a pity that it didn't win the Academy Award. John Williams seemed to have put in a ton of effort into building this soundtrack, and it paid off. Never has a main theme been more enjoyable to listen to, other than Star War's and Pirates of the Carribean's. It will live on not in just movie history, but musical history, as well. Then I move on to the special effects. The special effects in this film were very gratifying, especially in the 80s. When I saw this film, I could've sworn it wasn't a movie from the 20th century. But, as usual, the wonders if film tricked me again. What great effects and what genuine editing. It's all simply marvelous. But then I move on to what mainly gave this movie an 8. The dialogue. Some of the dialogue in this film was to much to handle, and I really couldn't. When the dialogue was good, it was alright, but when it was bad, it was horrible. And most of the time it was bad. "You can't do this to me, I'm an AMERICAN," was one of the most memorable quotes. Yes, most memorable. But I wont complain anymore, because all in all, this film is as adventure films get. In the end, I give it a deserving 8/10.… Expand

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' is THE shining example of a brilliant action/adventure blockbuster movie. It's by far my all-time favorite Spielberg film, and worthy of all praise it gets. I've seen all the Indy movies, and this one is definitely the best! I'd rank it among the best Steven Spielberg movies ever (and I'm not the only one): http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-steven-spielberg-movies/lons

Dated though it's special effects may be, Raiders is still a very entertaining thriller with one of the most recognizable characters in film history along with one of the most spontaneously funny fight scenes ever (if you don't know what I'm talking about, it involves a gun and a knife).

The film is so funny, it has a good soundtrack, the characters are funny that is what makes the movie so funny, the effects are good and creepy sometimes, it has good action, one of the best of that genre, and the only one in being nominated in the Best Picture Category. One of the best films made by Steven Spielberg.

This movie was just about what I expected in some ways but unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype in others. First with the good stuff, it was exactly what I thought in terms of actions sequences, whip cracks, and archeological hunts. Those things were the strong elements of the film in my opinion. There were also plenty of funny scenes and the effects, while terrible in today's standards, were pretty darn good for a 30+ year-old film. The reason I rated this movie so low, however, is for the few negative parts. Things like the fact that the Indiana Jones character might be the dumbest protagonist in action film history for example. Or the corny scenes that mar so many films of that era. I honestly don't know what people were thinking back then to enjoy such tomfoolery. The other things that hurt the film weren't as major. The mystical/supernatural element was unfortunate but that's more of a personal thing. I tend to zone out when ridiculous stuff comes on the screen in supposedly realistic settings. The acting also wasn't great but it wasn't all that bad either. I was disappointed though in the lack of charisma from Harrison Ford during the movie. The same guy who managed to turn a douche bag smuggler into a fan favorite didn't have much opportunity to do the same here. I mainly blame the writing and directing. Still, the movie was enjoyable and I look forward to seeing the next two being that I've heard the series gets substantially better after the first one.… Expand

Brilliantly crafted with moving characters, delightfully evil antagonists, Raiders of the Lost Ark certain to hark up nostalgia of early black-and-white escapist films.

A stone cold classic. Anyone who says otherwise must not like old school movies. Indiana Jones was a big influence on my youthful imagination. Spielberg and Lucas got it right with this first film in the series.

First off, this is a 10 out of 10. Such a great adventure, that's just a masterpiece. Acting is great. Harrison ford was outstanding. Score is phenomenal. The classic lost ark music is just fun to listen, and overall it's just great to listen to. Story is also really good. Action sequences are great. Really well made. Overall, this is an outstanding movie. You should see this movie. It'll be a mistake if you don't see it.… Expand

This movie is a true classic, really entertaining, very funny and some really brilliant action scenes, Harrison Ford is excellent in it, bringing loads of swagger to the role, easily an excellent movies that kicked off one of the best movies franchises there is.

Simply the greatest adventure movie ever made. Harrison Ford does great in the title role and the rest of the cast is top tier, as well. Raiders also fascinates me with its interesting back story about the Ark of the Covenant.

One of the best movies of all time. This is a classic. It did everything right. When it was released it was new and different. It was action-packed and suspenseful right from the beginning and has lots of humorous parts thrown in, lots of scary parts too. Another movie with an amazing musical score by John Williams, the music is amazing in this movie! I love the style of the way it was filmed, my girlfriend who is an art major told me the name for it but I forget, anyway it is filmed the way really old movies used to be filmed which looks way better than the typical Hollywood film you see today.… Expand

Indiana Jones, the character responsible for making archaeology the most exciting and sought for career ever is at best found in his first and inarguably greatest classic. Raider's of the lost Ark was one of a number of classic brought to the screen in the 1980's, other notable masterpieces were time travel saga the Back to the Future trilogy, the original Terminator and the Empire Strikes Back, and Spielberg's action adventure near enough trumps them all.
Set in the backdrop of mid 1930's, where the second world war is on the verge, the film begins in a middle eastern jungle, Indy is venturing for a golden idol, he begins with three mercenaries, the whip crashes and five minutes later, he's running from a boulder having just set off the booby trap that would encave the entire temple. Five minutes in and one of the film's, of not one of cinema's most iconic scenes has rolled its way on to the screen, surely it can't get better?
It does, watch on.
Steven Spielberg is on top form in this department, providing camera work and action set pieces galore, scripted wonderfully by 80's superman Lawrence Kasdan (Empire Strikes Back.) But it's Harrison Ford who takes the cake as arguably the greatest (super)hero in cinema history, running from set piece to set piece whilst driving his story with impossibly cool suave and underlying moral dilemma. It's a film that, when first thought about ($20m globe trotting actioner starring Han Solo?) should not be good, bar even watchable, but the dream team of Lucas, Spielberg, Kasdan and Ford make it some of the most exciting, visually arresting adventure pics in creation. A must watch.… Expand

Great acting, script, plot, and an overall treat to watch! Regard this movie as a high quality classic! Great movie! Simply, one of the best. If you don't like this movie, then there is something wrong with you, I'm afraid.

To express all the highs and lows of cinema, the adventure and the romance, the action and the peril, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most significant films ever made.

An obvious classic, "Raiders Of The Lost Ark" is a splendid showcase of stellar storytelling, excellent imagery, and a healthy action. Truly impossible to forget.

In 1981, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas came together for a film called "Raiders of the Lost Ark", and thus brought to the world what would quickly become an immortal new action hero, Indiana Jones, played with irrepressible charisma and charm by Harrison Ford. Made in the spirit of the old movie adventure serials, we follow Henry "Indiana" Jones, professor of archaelogy and 'obtainer of rare antiquities', as he is asked by the government to locate the biblical Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis, who are also searching for it to unleash its theological powers. And what else is there to say? This is a classic adventure film, full of memorable characters, fantastic action scenes, drama, humor and an iconic music score. Certainly a top-tier movie from "top men" in the business.… Expand

Now I see where 'The Mummy' got a lot of ideas for their reboot series. It's a shame it took me so long to finally start the Indiana Jones films because after watching this one I can tell I'm really going to enjoy them! Harrison Ford is great as the title character and is joined by a talented cast. It probably starts off a lot better than it ends up as they never really went back to the likes of that opening scene, but overall an entertaining film and a classic you must-see!… Expand

The best action/adventure movie of all time. Smart and cool that deals with the Nazis. A great movie that makes you stand up and shout with enjoyment.

I remember first watching this when people talking about the return of Indiana Jones. Since I was a fan of Steven Spielberg I figured I's give this movie a shot. It was an incredible action-packed adventure. First off, the storyline is interesting and puts you on the edge of your seat. Second, the characters are awesome. I figured some of the lines would be quorky and lame, but it was surprisingly well written. And finally, the action. For an old classic like this, the action is very intense, fun and enjoyable. This is one of those movies that I wished I had already known. This is definitely one of the biggest movies ever made. Just ask an folk if they've seen Raiders of the Lost Ark. They'll most likely tell you they loved it. Overall, it's the biggest adventure in the history of cinema.… Expand

Another one of my favorite movies. This movie, in my opinion, has some of the best action scenes in movie history. It has a well-done story plot, great acting from Harrison Ford, some cool special effects, and lots and lots of fun.