Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Name: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Genre: Action, Adventure
Released: May 23, 1984
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 57
Cast: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw

1984

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Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 250 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 250 Ratings

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Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: May 23, 1984

Starring: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw

Summary: After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees, and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.

Director: Steven Spielberg

Genre(s): Action, Adventure

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

This movie is one of the most relentlessly nonstop action pictures ever made, with a virtuoso series of climactic sequences that must last an hour and never stop for a second. It's a roller-coaster ride, a visual extravaganza, a technical triumph, and a whole lot of fun. Read full review

New York Daily News - Kathleen Carroll

All in all, Spielberg has come up with another rousing piece of entertainment. Read full review

Empire - Ian Nathan

The sustained furore of humour, visual panache and headlong momentum makes for dazzling cinema. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine - Staff (Not Credited)

The nonstop pace may eventually numb viewers to the thrills, although Spielberg must be congratulated for adding some shades of character to his archetypal action hero this time around. Read full review

The New York Times - Vincent Canby

Watching it is like spending a day at an amusement park, which is probably what Mr. Spielberg and his associates intended. It moves tirelessly from one ride or attraction to the next, only occasionally taking a minute out for a hot dog, and then going right on to the next unspeakable experience. Read full review

Newsweek - Jack Kroll

Spielberg has gone to such lengths to avoid boredom that he has leaped squarely into the opposite trap: this movie has such unrelenting action that it jackhammers you into a punch-drunk stupor. This may be the first movie whose audience O.D.'s on action. [4 June 1984, p.78]

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Matthew Fraser

The heroic irony that was hilarious in Raiders is merely ridiculous here, and the half-tribute/half-parody of the adventure genre is toyed with to threadbare extremes. [23 May 1984]

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User Reviews

osostt2004

Oct 2, 2013

This is definitely an unpopular statement when I say Temple of Doom is my favorite Indy movie. I mean I don't get it! Why do people say this is a weaker entrance in the series? I thought it just improved upon everything in Raiders! Now I can agree that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull suckedThis is definitely an unpopular statement when I say Temple of Doom is my favorite Indy movie. I mean I don't get it! Why do people say this is a weaker entrance in the series? I thought it just improved upon everything in Raiders! Now I can agree that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull sucked badly, but why do people think this is weak. Its a funny (Thanks to the very annoying but hilarious characters Short Round and Willie) heartwarming action packed adventure with one of the best Indy villains of all time. And this a film you won't forget. Trust me. 10/10… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Urbanlistener

Jan 18, 2016

An iconic dark and non-stop action/adventure movie, with a great performance by Ford, awesome practical effects and set pieces, incredible camera work and of course, the Spielberg magic. While not quite reaching its predecessor's heights, it is still tons of fun.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

robertoiglesias

Oct 2, 2017

This is my favorite Indiana Jones movie in the series. While Raiders of the Lost Ark was really great, I have a better time watching this amazing adventure.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Movie1997

Oct 6, 2013

While it may be considered a weaker Indiana Jones movie, it's still a fun action-adventure. Overall, it's dark and adventurously fun. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel, "TheMovieManLife" for all things movies.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

RedRyan18

May 22, 2014

While it dosen't quite live up to Raiders, Temple of Doom still features exciting set pieces, rousing action, strong acting from Harrison Ford, and typical first-rate special effects.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jun 9, 2017

"Dr. Jones, I am an Asian child stereotype!"
-Short Round, probably
Oh look at the ritualistic satanic foreigners who have some kind of mystic and magical power! Oh look at the dumb bimbo blonde who breaks her nails and shrieks at everything! Racist, insensitive, and sexist, Indiana Jones"Dr. Jones, I am an Asian child stereotype!"
-Short Round, probably

Oh look at the ritualistic satanic foreigners who have some kind of mystic and magical power! Oh look at the dumb bimbo blonde who breaks her nails and shrieks at everything! Racist, insensitive, and sexist, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom still remains a terrific little adventure film. With fun action scenes, banter, and a charismatic turn from Harrison Ford, Temple of Doom may be a lot darker and more violent than even Steven Spielberg liked, but it is still a very campy and fun film that delivers all of the Indiana Jones spills and thrills anticipated courtesy of great action set pieces and his iconic lasso.

What is always striking about the Indiana Jones films is that they are both compelling romps through archaeological legends and rip roaring good times nonetheless. While the archaeology is hardly a focus of the films, the mythology always is and Spielberg continuously delivers compelling and fun mythology. Here, the film is set in India with a magic rock missing that is being used by a Kali worshipping occult group that sacrifices people to honor Kali. Sent in to find the magic rocks and put a stop to this group of weirdos, Dr. Jones faces some considerable pushback from this demonic underworld while running about with Asian child sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan) and blonde bimbo Willie (Kate Capshaw). While the film's beats are hardly different from Raiders of the Lost Ark in this prequel, the film's fun energy and blending of this mythology with excellent action set pieces consistently sets this one apart from other dumb blockbusters with half-hearted mythology that never lends itself to the action. Instead, the mythology and legend of the film is always given room to breathe and is always given the time of day instead of being squandered by focusing solely on the action. As a result, it is a blockbuster with a fun and unique plot that has great action instead of a hollow piece of trash that is just action with no substance whatsoever.

That is not to say the film is not flawed, nonetheless. While dripping with historical mythology, the film does still get a bit too wrapped up in the action as it reaches the end of the second act. From the point where Indy drinks to the blood to when they get off the bridge, the film barrels full speed towards its climax and falling action with reckless abandon. The set pieces are all very nice, but just become too much to become far too long. While the scenes all serve a purpose, they just go on for far too long and for a non-action junkie, though the scenes are truly excellent pieces of filmmaking, it just felt like Spielberg opted to ditch that aforementioned strength in focusing evenly on action and mythology in the name of just going balls to the wall with action scenes. It is a sadly hollow result, no matter how nice they look (aside from the severely dated special effects on the bridge that are hysterical, especially when that chief demon heart ripper out guy hits the mountain).

The film's flaws continue to its various cultural issues both in the stereotypical comic relief antics of the young Short Round, but perhaps the worst is Willie. A blonde bimbo who worries about breaking her nails, the character smacks of Spielberg having just watched Alien and thinking, "Ha! Women could never do that." Though he is hardly a misogynistic filmmaker, the character of Willie is certainly one of his worst with her just there to provide cleavage and comedy about how useless women are in "manly" situations. She screams when it will reveal their position, is too weak to get on elephants like young boys can do easily, she freaks out with bugs, and has to be shown how to do literally anything. Oh and she also is just there to flirt with Indy and use suggestive innuendo. Charming character, to say the least. The writing is hardly the reason to see this film, but this piece was just above and beyond terrible.

Fun, action-packed, and excellently anchored by Harrison Ford, the Temple of Doom may be a stepback from Raiders of the Lost Ark, but it is a good film nonetheless. That said, I do miss everybody from the original film and wish this were not a prequel, even if the Nazis would have needed to be involved in this film (as Spielberg makes it sound, if it were a sequel). Rather offensive to Hindus and women alike, the film is otherwise harmless fun with excellent blockbuster filmmaking by Spielberg with fun and inventive set pieces, smart mythology, and the perfect establishment of stakes to give this one considerable weight. Though imperfect, Temple of Doom is nonetheless another fun Indiana Jones film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

siddhartham

Mar 7, 2015

Kings being served snakes, soup of eyeballs and the desert. Yuck!!! Since when did kings in India eat these? Who told the producer this? Stupid producer with lack of basic knowledge. And what gives him the right to show such insulting stuff?? And making fun of worshiping idols. The worstKings being served snakes, soup of eyeballs and the desert. Yuck!!! Since when did kings in India eat these? Who told the producer this? Stupid producer with lack of basic knowledge. And what gives him the right to show such insulting stuff?? And making fun of worshiping idols. The worst movie...couldnt watch because of utter nonsense! Probably made in 1984 when the western world had little or no idea about India and the other countries on the other side of the world. LOL! I was pretty surprised that Amrish puri said yes to acting in this **** movie. Indian kings never ate this kindoff stuff. It was so stupid to show this and give a misguided look at India. Insulting india was the only thing it managed to do...The director and writer lacked basic common sense and lack of knowledge about the eastern world.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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