Find EXACT phrase   Help QUICK LINKS: NEW MOVIES The Hangover Part II Kung Fu Panda 2 More Reviews of Current Titles   SUBSCRIBER REQUESTED Braveheart See other Subscriber Requested reviews   OSCARS® 2010 Oscar® Winners   NEW DVDS & VIDEOS Gnomeo & Juliet I Am Number Four More Reviews...   CONTESTS Check "Contests" on the top menu bar for more titles Heaven Ain't Hard to Find DVD Check "Contests" on the top menu bar for more titles

"RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK" (1981) (Harrison Ford, Karen Allen) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Heavy Extreme *Heavy Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Mild Extreme None Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Mild Minor Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: A globe-trotting archaeologist tries to keep a powerful religious artifact out of the hands of the Nazis who intend to use it in their quest for world domination. PLOT: It's 1936 and Indiana Jones (HARRISON FORD) is a college professor who moonlights as an adventurous archaeologist, globetrotting around the world in search of ancient artifacts. His latest such attempt was thwarted by his chief competitor and adversary, Belloq (PAUL FREEMAN). Now back at school, his friend and administrator Marcus Brody (DENHOLM ELLIOT) informs Indiana that some government men are interested in him due to his status of being a professor of archaeology, expert on the occult, and obtainer of great antiquities. It seems that the Nazis are in search of the Ark of the Covenant, in which The Ten Commandments were contained. It supposedly possesses great powers, and the U.S. Government doesn't want them to get their hands on it. Accordingly, Indiana sets off to find it, knowing that his only lead might come from an old acquaintance, Professor Ravenwood. Arriving in Nepal, Indiana discovers that the professor is dead, but that his daughter, Marion (KAREN ALLEN) -- with whom Indy had some sort of romantic past -- is still alive and as feisty as ever. When Nazi official Toht (RONALD LACEY) and his men interrupt their tenuous reunion and burn down her bar, she becomes his partner in their quest to find the Ark. The two then travel to Cairo where they meet Indy's old friend Sallah (JOHN RHYS-DAVIES) and the three then set out to find the Ark's resting place, unaware that the Nazis have hired Belloq to do the same. As they get closer to finding the religious artifact, the three must not only contend with the competing crew, but also Toht and the other Nazis who want them dead. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? It's a good bet they probably will, especially if they've heard anything about it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG While no official reason is available from the MPAA, we'd guess it's due to language, violence, partial nudity and frightening images. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: HARRISON FORD plays a professor of archaeology and collector of antiquities whose reputation causes the U.S. Government to hire him to beat the Nazis in finding the Ark of the Covenant. As he does so, he must be extremely resourceful, and fight and occasionally kill various villains who try to stop and/or kill him. KAREN ALLEN plays his former lover who initially isn't happy to see him, but becomes his partner in his quest by default. She competes in a drinking game with another man (consuming a lot) in one scene. PAUL FREEMAN plays Indiana's competitor and adversary, another archaeologist who's also in search of the Ark while working for the Nazis. RONALD LACEY plays a Nazi official who's also after the Ark and threatens others (including Marion) in his quest to get his hands on it. JOHN RHYS-DAVIES plays Indiana's friend in Cairo who assists him and Marion in their quest. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this action/adventure flick that's been rated PG. Profanity consists of at least 1 "s" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some male natives' bare butts are mostly but briefly seen in loincloth type attire, a man gazes at a woman's reflection in a mirror as she changes clothes (he sees her bare back) and a couple briefly makes out before the man passes out from earlier exhaustion. Violence consists of all sorts of action/adventure sort of violence, where various people are killed by various means (gunfire, supernatural forces, various forms of impalement, etc.) while several scenes include related fighting (with punches, etc.). Some of those scenes have bloody or gory results (especially the ending where a man's face melts and another explodes), while that material, various peril-filled scenes (some involving snakes) and various visuals might be unsettling, suspenseful or even scary to some viewers, particularly very young ones. Some of that material may also be enticing for some kids to imitate, as might a brief drinking game/contest. Other characters drink (and appear tipsy), while a few smoke and all of the villains and some others have bad attitudes. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Indiana and Marcus sip their drinks. Marion competes in a drinking game with a man in her bar. There are many empty glasses around them and the small crowd cheers them on, with Marion winning when the guy passes out. Indiana pours a drink for himself. When a stray bullet pops a hole in a keg, Marion briefly stops there (during a gun battle) to drink from the resultant stream. Then, as Indiana's head is held in the line of liquor burning in his direction, he asks Marion for whiskey, but then uses the bottle to crack his assailant over the head. Indiana, Marion and Sallah hold drinks. Indiana drinks some wine. Belloq drinks and smokes what may be opium or just tobacco of some sort (as do others). Knowing she can out drink Belloq and then escape, Marion asks what he has to drink and he pulls out a bottle. Later, we see the two drinking and they're giggling and appear drunk. She then tries to escape, but is caught. A Nazi officer drinks. Marion tells Indiana that she'll buy him a drink, but we don't see that occur. BLOOD/GORE We see several views of a mostly mummified corpse stuck on some booby-trap stakes that emerge from a wall. We see a man who's been impaled by wooden stakes that go through his forehead and neck (with bloody results). Some natives push a man forward and he falls to the ground dead, with many poison darts in his back (with little bloody marks around each one in his shirt). A goon's face is bloody after being shot, while another had blood spill from his mouth after he's shot. We see a little bit of blood on two men who've just been shot. Toht has a bad burn scar on the palm of his hand. Marion finds herself in an ancient temple room filled with many mummified corpses that fall all around and on her (with some arms appearing to grab out at her). Indiana has some blood on his face during a fight, as does a large Nazi. As a Nazi is hit by a spinning propeller blade (not seen), we see his blood splatter onto the plane's tail and cockpit canopy. Indiana has a little blood on his arm after a bullet grazes him there. Indiana has various small bloody scrapes on his body. A person's face suddenly and quickly melts away down to the skeleton (with gooey, gory results). Another man's face catches on fire and explodes in a brief, meaty mess. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The film's various villains -- especially the Nazis -- all have bad attitudes. Some of Indiana's local assistants have bad attitudes toward him (one tries to kill him, the other leaves him for dead in a booby-trapped cave tunnel while trying to escape with Indiana's archaeological find). A Nazi refers to a black cargo ship captain as a "savage" (either based on his skin color or his bluff that he was going to sell Marion to offset their losses). A Nazi states that he's uncomfortable with the thought of a Jewish ritual regarding the Ark. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Indiana and a local assistant enter a cobweb-filled cave in search of an archaeological treasure. The assistant notes that Indiana's back is covered in large tarantulas. He brushes them off and then proceeds to do the same for the assistant who's also covered in them. The assistant then nearly passes through a shaft of light in the cave, but Indiana stops and then shows him what happens if one passes through it. Stakes suddenly erupt from the wall and we see several views of a mostly mummified corpse stuck on them. As the two continue on their way, they swing across a large chasm using Indiana's whip, but the assistant lands short and nearly falls in (Indiana grabs and pulls him to safety). He then shows the assistant not to step on certain stones (a poisonous dart flies out and lands in a torch). Indiana then tries to make his way toward his prize, but must avoid those stones and nearly loses his balance while doing so. He then retrieves his treasure, but the place is booby-trapped and starts to come apart as he and the assistant try to race out (with many darts flying out from two walls). Indiana's assistant makes his way back over the earlier chasm, but then drops the whip and leaves Indiana on the other side. Indiana then runs and tries to jump over the hole, but lands short on the edge and barely holds on (a large root he grabs comes loose and he nearly falls down into the chasm). He eventually pulls himself free, barely makes it under a descending trap wall, and then sees that the assistant has been impaled on some wall stakes. He then hears a rumbling and a huge boulder comes racing down the cave tunnel toward Indiana, with him barely leaping out of the way just in time (only to find various natives holding their spears at him). When some local natives are distracted, Indiana makes a run for it, with them then following in hot pursuit. He runs a long way as they shoot arrows and blow darts at him, but he grabs a hold of a seaplane that then lifts him off and flies him to safety. While in an open cockpit plane, Indiana (who hates snakes) finds a large boa (or similar constrictor) suddenly in his lap, but the pilot says that's just his pet snake and for Indiana to show a little backbone. Toht and his goons enter Marion's bar and act menacingly toward her. When she won't tell him what he wants, Toht places a fire poker into an open flame, causing the tip to become glowing hot. He then approaches her and holds it close to her face (as others restrain her), but Indiana's whip snags and yanks the red hot poker away. Indiana then shoots one goon as others shoot back at him, resulting in a gun battle (handguns and machine guns) and the bar eventually catches on fire. A goon is also on fire and Indiana shoots him (the goon's face is bloody). Marion hits another goon over the head with a log, while another goon thrashes Indiana about, including to a bar where he holds his head as Toht lights spilled liquor that then burns toward Indiana's head. Indiana then takes a whiskey bottle and hits that guy over the head. Indiana then shoots a man following a struggle (including hitting another person with a table, etc.), while Toht burns his hand on an amulet. Indiana punches one goon and a goon's arm is on fire. A goon gets ready to shoot Indiana and we hear the shot, but then see that Marion shot the guy dead instead (and blood pours out of his mouth). In the end, several goons are dead and Marion's bar is completely engulfed in flames. A man poisons some dates and then leaves them for Indiana. Indiana nearly eats one (that he throws into the air and opens his mouth below), but Sallah catches it and points out that a monkey that just ate one is now lying dead on the floor. As Sallah and Indiana peer down inside an ancient chamber, Sallah asks, "Why does the floor move? They then see that many snakes cover the floor below them. Marion pulls a dinner knife on Belloq and then tries to escape, but Toht enters and grabs her arm. He then pulls out a device that frightens her, but it turns out to be just a coat hanger upon which he hangs his coat. As Indiana and Sallah are down inside an ancient temple, their torches start going out and we see the Nazis on the move toward their location. The Nazis throw Marion down inside an ancient temple (where the floor is a long distance below the opening) and she grabs a large statue but then loses her grip and falls (with Indiana catching her). They then seal her and Indiana inside the temple, with their torches going out and the snakes approaching them. For those afraid of snakes, an ancient temple floor is filled with them. We then see various shots of them (a cobra striking out at Indiana, a snake crawling through Marion's shoe, many pouring through holes in the wall, one surprising Indiana on a large statue and then falling on Marion after Indiana kills it, one crawling out of a mummy's mouth, etc.). Marion finds herself in an ancient temple room filled with many mummified corpses that fall all around and on her (with some arms appearing to grab out at her). Indiana kicks a Nazi in the face, another tries to hit him with a wrench and he kicks him in the gut. Indiana then hits and punches more until a large Nazi arrives. Indiana kicks him with no ill effect and misses with a punch, but the large guy connects with one and drops Indiana to the ground. The guy grabs Indiana who then bites his wrist, followed by more punching. They fight in front of a plane where the pilot fires a shot at Indiana who throws sand into the big Nazi's eyes. Marion then shows up and knocks the pilot out, causing the plane to start to turn slowly on the ground. As the big Nazi continues to beat Indiana, Marion fires the plane's machine guns at various Nazi troops that have arrived in a truck, mowing down many of them (no blood). As the plane continues to move, its wingtip cuts open a fuel truck, with the fuel flowing toward the plane. Marion fires the machine gun again, this time causing a truck to explode. Meanwhile, Indiana and the Nazi continue to fight and must avoid the plane's spinning propeller blades. The burning fuel then approaches the plane in which Marion is now trapped inside the cockpit, as Indiana and the Nazi continue to fight with many severe blows. The Nazi then stands above Indiana, unaware that the propeller blade is approaching him. We then see his blood splatter onto the plane's tail and cockpit canopy. Indiana then tries to free Marion, eventually shooting the cockpit canopy open. Both then rush off as the burning fuel reaches the plane, causing it to explode. A man throws Indiana through a windshield and onto the hood of a transport truck where Indiana tries to hold onto the ornament. It breaks off, however, with Indiana holding onto the front bumper (just in front of the large tire) as the driver tries to crush Indiana between it and a car in front of them. Indiana then slides himself under the moving truck, eventually holding onto his whip and being pulled on the dirt road behind the truck. As Belloq conducts a ritual about the Ark, various flood lights suddenly burst. Spirits then fly out of the Ark and float around various Nazis until the spirits suddenly turn violent and strike or otherwise penetrate many people's bodies. The spirits let out screaming sounds and one's face suddenly turns monstrous. A person's face suddenly and quickly melts away down to the skeleton (with gooey, gory results), while light beams blast through the many Nazis there. One man's face catches on fire and explodes in a brief, meaty mess. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine Guns/Rocket Launcher: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Holy sh*t," "Nuts" (crazy), "Good evening, fräulein," "I'm your G*ddamn partner," "Are you crazy?" "Snakes...Why did it have to be snakes?" "Slimy pig," "You bastards," "Where the hell were you?" "Holy smoke," "I don't know...I'm making this up as a I go," "Idiot" and "It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage." All the action, fighting, stunts and more may be enticing for some kids to imitate. One of Indiana's female students has written "Love You" on her eyelids so that the words can be read when she closes her eyes (aimed at Indiana). Marion competes in a drinking game with a man in her bar. There are many empty glasses around them and the small crowd cheers them on, with Marion winning when the guy passes out. Marion purposefully blows smoke into Toht's face. A monkey gives the "zeig heil" Nazi salute. A man poisons some dates and then leaves them for Indiana. Indiana nearly eats one (that he throws into the air and opens his mouth below), but Sallah catches it and points out that a monkey that just ate one is now lying dead on the floor. A Nazi fires a machine gun into the air to subdue a crowd. JUMP SCENES A local man screams at the sudden sight of a large menacing face made out of stone. Stakes suddenly erupt from the wall and we see several views of a mostly mummified corpse stuck on them. Lightning suddenly illuminates a huge animal statue in the opening of an ancient chamber. A snake surprises Indiana on a large statue and he zaps it with his lit torch. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of adventurous, suspenseful and dramatic music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "s" word (and another incomplete one), 3 hells, 1 damn, 1 S.O.B., 2 uses each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God" and 1 use of "Jesus." SEX/NUDITY We see most of some local natives' bare butts (wearing loincloth type bottoms) as they chase after Indiana. Belloq shows Marion a dress he has for her, stating, "I would very much like to see you in it." She sarcastically replies, "I bet you would." Nevertheless, she puts it on and he sees her reflection in a mirror as she changes (and we see her back, first with her bra strap covering it and then bare when she removes that -- but no breasts are seen). Marion flips over a large double-sided mirror and accidentally cracks Indiana on the face. She then goes to kiss the impact area, but he complains that it hurts. He then points out various points on his head where she can kiss him, eventually leading to his lips. The two then passionately kiss on the bed (he's shirtless but they're otherwise clothed), but he falls asleep from being exhausted. We later see her under the covers of the bed the next morning (nothing seen), but he's already up. SMOKING Marion smokes once, while a number of minor and miscellaneous characters smoke in several scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Marion states that her father is dead (after learning that Indiana is looking for him). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Archaeologists. Nazis. The Ark of the Covenant. VIOLENCE Most of the violence that occurs is portrayed in an action/adventure fashion rather than as graphic realism (with no blood unless noted otherwise). While accompanied by locals on an archeological expedition, Indiana hears a gun cocked and we see it be drawn. Indiana then snaps the gun out of the man's hand with his whip, causing it to fire (no one is hit). Indiana and a local assistant enter a cobweb-filled cave in search of an archaeological treasure. Indiana retrieves his treasure, but the place is booby-trapped and starts to come apart as he and the assistant try to race out (with many darts flying out from two walls). Indiana barely makes it under a descending trap wall, and then sees that the assistant has been impaled on some wall stakes. Some natives push a man forward and he falls to the ground dead, with many poison darts in his back (with little bloody marks around each one in his shirt). When some local natives are distracted, Indiana makes a run for it, with them then following in hot pursuit. He runs a long way as they shoot arrows and blow darts at him, but he grabs a hold of a seaplane that then lifts him off and flies him to safety. Marion throws a glass aside and it breaks. Marion punches Indiana in the face. Marion tries to backhand Indiana, but he catches her hand. Toht and his goons enter Marion's bar and act menacingly toward her. When she won't tell him what he wants, Toht places a fire poker into an open flame, causing the tip to become glowing hot. He then approaches her and holds it close to her face (as others restrain her), but Indiana's whip snags and yanks the red hot poker away. Indiana then shoots one goon as others shoot back at him, resulting in a gun battle (handguns and machine guns) and the bar eventually catches on fire. A goon is also on fire and Indiana shoots him (the goon's face is bloody). Marion hits another goon over the head with a log, while another goon thrashes Indiana about, including to a bar where he holds his head as Toht lights spilled liquor that then burns toward Indiana's head. Indiana then takes a whiskey bottle and hits that guy over the head. Indiana then shoots a man following a struggle (including hitting another person with a table, etc.), while Toht burns his hand on an amulet. Indiana punches one goon and a goon's arm is on fire. A goon gets ready to shoot Indiana and we hear the shot, but then see that Marion shot the guy dead instead (and blood pours out of his mouth). In the end, several goons are dead and Marion's bar is completely engulfed in flames. Some men try to attack Indiana, with Indiana punching one and one trying to slice him (but slicing another man by accident). More punching, some kicking and other struggling (elbowing, etc.) occurs, with another man stabbed by accident and Indiana uses his whip to strike out at two men. At the same time, a man with a knife threatens Marion. She grabs a frying pan, runs off and enters a building. The man does the same and we then hear the sound of her hitting him on the head with that pan (and see his body fall out the doorway and then be dragged back inside). A huge man with an equally big sword prepares to attack Indiana who casually pulls out his revolver and shoots that man dead. Believing Marion to be inside a large barrel, Indiana races through a crowded marketplace, overturning many baskets that villagers are carrying (and pushing them aside). As he rounds the corner to follow another, men fire machine guns at him. Indiana ducks for cover and then pops out as a truck approaches him. He shoots the driver and another man dead and the truck hits something and slowly falls over and explodes from explosives in the back of it going off (with Indiana and viewers thinking Marion was inside it). Many men aim their guns at Indiana. A man poisons some dates and then leaves them for Indiana. Indiana nearly eats one (that he throws into the air and opens his mouth below), but Sallah catches it and points out that a monkey that just ate one is now lying dead on the floor. Sallah falls and rolls down a hill (but is fine). Indiana is lowered into the ancient chamber and sprays flammable liquid onto the many snakes there. He then lights it, but we don't see the impact on the snakes. Marion pulls a dinner knife on Belloq and then tries to escape, but Toht enters and grabs her arm. He then pulls out a device that frightens her, but it turns out to be just a coat hanger upon which he hangs his coat. The Nazis throw Marion down inside an ancient temple (where the floor is a long distance below the opening) and she grabs a large statue but then loses her grip and falls (with Indiana catching her). Thinking his whip is a snake, Marion thrusts her lit torch at Indiana's side. A snake surprises Indiana on a large statue and he zaps it with his lit torch. Indiana topples a large statue, causing it to smash into and through a wall. Indiana kicks a Nazi in the face, another tries to hit him with a wrench and he kicks him in the gut. Indiana then hits and punches more until a large Nazi arrives. Indiana kicks him with no ill effect and misses with a punch, but the large guy connects with one and drops Indiana to the ground. The guy grabs Indiana who then bites his wrist, followed by more punching. They fight in front of a plane where the pilot fires a shot at Indiana who throws sand into the big Nazi's eyes. Marion then shows up and knocks the pilot out, causing the plane to start to turn slowly on the ground. As the big Nazi continues to beat Indiana, Marion fires the plane's machine guns at various Nazi troops that have arrived in a truck, mowing down many of them (no blood). As the plane continues to move, its wingtip cuts open a fuel truck, with the fuel flowing toward the plane. Marion fires the machine gun again, this time causing a truck to explode. Meanwhile, Indiana and the Nazi continue to fight and must avoid the plane's spinning propeller blades. The burning fuel then approaches the plane in which Marion is now trapped inside the cockpit, as Indiana and the Nazi continue to fight with many severe blows. The Nazi then stands above Indiana, unaware that the propeller blade is approaching him. We then see his blood splatter onto the plane's tail and cockpit canopy. Indiana then tries to free Marion, eventually shooting the cockpit canopy open. Both then rush off as the burning fuel reaches the plane, causing it to explode. As Indiana (on horseback) chases after a Nazi truck convoy, one man fires a machine gun at him. Indiana then throws one man from a truck and then fights with the driver. A man then lands on the hood of another vehicle. A truck drives through a bunch of scaffolding and Indiana then punches the driver out of the truck. He then bumps a car ahead of him, followed by machine gun fire at him. He drives a vehicle off the road and then does the same to two on a motorcycle that crashes into a pond. A car flies off a very tall cliff and we see the occupants fly out, but there's no impact. Nazis try to climb along the side of the transport truck that Indiana is driving, causing him to sideswipe things (trees, etc.) to knock them off. One man shoots Indiana (grazing his arm). Another guy dangles from the door and falls off, while another pops into the truck, kicks Indiana and then punches him on his arm wound. The man then throws Indiana through the windshield and onto the hood where Indiana tries to hold onto the ornament. It breaks off, however, with Indiana holding onto the front bumper (just in front of the large tire) as the new driver tries to crush Indiana between it and a car in front of them. Indiana then slides himself under the moving truck, eventually holding onto his whip and being pulled on the dirt road behind the truck. He then pulls himself back to and onto the truck, kicks the new driver in the face and repeatedly bashes his head back and forth between the dash and the back of the cab. He eventually throws that guy through the windshield, with the guy dangling on the front before falling off and having the truck tires roll over him (partially seen). Indiana then drives a final car off the road (the occupants are okay). Marion flips over a large double-sided mirror and accidentally cracks Indiana on the face with it. A rat keels over on the floor from the power of the Ark. Marion is pushed against a wall and guns are held on many people on a cargo ship. We see Indiana pulling a Nazi over some stuff and see the motion of the punch (and hear it). We then see the motion of him kneeing or kicking another Nazi twice. Indiana threatens to blow up the ark with a rocket launcher, but can't. We see that the Nazis have tied Indiana and Marion together to a pole. As Belloq conducts a ritual about the Ark, various flood lights suddenly burst. Spirits then fly out of the Ark and float around various Nazis until the spirits suddenly turn violent and strike or otherwise penetrate many people's bodies. The spirits let out screaming sounds and one's face suddenly turns monstrous. A person's face suddenly and quickly melts away down to the skeleton (with gooey, gory results), while light beams blast through the many Nazis there. One man's face catches on fire and explodes in a brief, meaty mess. Reviewed May 11, 2005 / Posted May 18, 2005