Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  I've gone round and round in my mind about whether the sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark was good, if not better than the original. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is certainly a very well-crafted movie, but it doesn't have as much repeatability as the other films in… More
  I've gone round and round in my mind about whether the sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark was good, if not better than the original. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is certainly a very well-crafted movie, but it doesn't have as much repeatability as the other films in the series do. I don't think it's because it's dark. It's actually not that much darker than Raiders, if you ask me. It's because it steps outside the story and is more of a prequel than a sequel, at least in story terms. Things like the font during the credits make it feel too different from the other films, and also the character of Willie Scott can be really annoying sometimes. Don't get me wrong here though. It's certainly a worthy film and definitely belongs in the franchise. It gives a new spin on the series but also gives a chance for Indiana Jones' character to be fleshed out a little bit more rather than just being the same guy from the first film. It's also more dramatic than your usual straightforward action adventure film. The special effects are pretty amazing too. It just doesn't sit right with me in certain spots. Even though it was derided critically upon release, it managed to be just as successful but stewed a bit of controversy because it's vastly different in tone from the first film. I still enjoy it despite its problems, but I think the mistakes made with this film were turned around in the sequel that soon followed.

• Eric A

  
  A little off the pace from the first, but still awesome. I liked the cinematography just as much, maybe more, compared to the first. What I didn't like was the amount of time spent on Willie. It seemed a bit excessive, and her screams/voice got annoying REAL fast.

• Sanjaya &

  
  After a huge success from the first movie, no doubt there will be a sequel for this movie and as a sequel, for me The Temple of Doom was much better than Raiders of the Lost Ark.. Probably Steven put more action scenes in this movie that makes my adrenaline rush faster than in the… More
  After a huge success from the first movie, no doubt there will be a sequel for this movie and as a sequel, for me The Temple of Doom was much better than Raiders of the Lost Ark.. Probably Steven put more action scenes in this movie that makes my adrenaline rush faster than in the first movie.. Even the setting is limited, because Indy doesn't need to around the world so that makes the story more focused I thought.. Even so, not everyone like it because some thought the first one is still better.. Harrison Ford himself successfully reprising his role as Indiana Jones, while Kate Capshaw can replace the hole that been left by Karen Allen in the first movie.. Overall, I like it much better than the first movie, even though the original is irreplaceable..

• Chris W

  
  This film definitely has it's moments, but this is, for me, maybe the least of the Indy films. Yeah, that's right, I liked "Crystal Skull" a tad more than this one, and it's considered part of the "classic" trilogy. I think my main issues with this… More
  This film definitely has it's moments, but this is, for me, maybe the least of the Indy films. Yeah, that's right, I liked "Crystal Skull" a tad more than this one, and it's considered part of the "classic" trilogy. I think my main issues with this are that Kate Capshaw is too whiny, annoying, and contributes not as much as she could have, and that there are just some really silly moments (more so than normal for this type of thing) that make me wonder why people seem to love this but hate Crystal Skull. Did they forget that all of the Indy fims have silly moments? (yes, even Raiders and Crusade). I like the adventures, and it's cool that they took a step away from Christianity for this outing, but it feels like this one is more pure adventure and goofy fun instead of being that, but still moving up to the level of art. It's like they just let this one coast instead of really working at it to make it awesome. I do like this, but this one just feels a little slight to me (and there's no reason why it should).

• Alexander D

  
  Darker, worse than the original.

• Brad W

  
  I found it a major disappointment to the first one, it was boring, dull, and I want to kick Short Rounds ass. I didn't like the idea of a prequel, and it had no other appealing moments other than Harrison Fords great performance. Didnt like it at all.

• Lenny M

  
  Short Round, what? Update: I really don't like this movie but it's fun to watch.

• Jeff "

  
  Second entry in the Indiana Jones franchise is a prequel to the events of Raiders Of The Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The film is set in 1936 (As I think the intro of the film says) Indiana Jones crash lands in Inda and comes across a village where the inhabitants claim that… More
  Second entry in the Indiana Jones franchise is a prequel to the events of Raiders Of The Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. The film is set in 1936 (As I think the intro of the film says) Indiana Jones crash lands in Inda and comes across a village where the inhabitants claim that something evil from Pancock Palace has captured their children. Indiana Jones decides to investigate and discovers a mysterious cult that worship the Thuggie. This second entry is memorable for many reasons two of which are the dinner scene and the heart ripping scene. Simply phenomenal. Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom is a welcomed change of pace, style and atmosphere.for an Indiana Jones film. The story will excite the most diehard fans of the films time after time, and everytime I watch Temple Of Doom I always am so thrilled even though I know what to expect. As far as sequels are concerned, Temple Of Doom is nearly flawless, but compared to Raiders, its not as solid a piece of cinem. But this film still offers the thrills and the excitement you'd expect from an Indiana Jones film. Probably one of the best scenes of the film is the mine car chase in the tunnels of the palace. That scene remains a staple of the film and is thoroughly exciting from start to finish no matter how often you see it. Only Spielberg could make a sequel as enjoyable as the first. The acting is good, but not great, but the strength of film is in its plot and action, and though its flawed at times, it's never dull or boring.

• Bently L

  
  George Lucas wanted the second installment of the "Indiana Jones" series to be the darkest of them all, akin to "The Empire Strikes Back" in the "Star Wars" series. His goal was a success but this one was just not as good as "Raiders". In the… More
  George Lucas wanted the second installment of the "Indiana Jones" series to be the darkest of them all, akin to "The Empire Strikes Back" in the "Star Wars" series. His goal was a success but this one was just not as good as "Raiders". In the film, Indy teams up with a nightclub dancer named Willie Scott and a little Asian kid named Short Round. After their plane explodes, they land in a small Indian village where there are no children in sight. Indiana discovers that the children have been enslaved by an evil cult and three magical stones known as the Sankara Stones will restore peace in the village. Indy, Willie, and Shorty embark on a quest to save the children, get the stones, and stop the evil cult. However, the way there is full of obstacles. Child slavery, evil cults, this movie has "dark" written all over it. Lets not forget the stomach-churning feast and gory ritual scenes. The dark themes and gore is what throws off a lot of people about this movie. Conveniently, I have a thing for dark movies so "Temple of Doom" is enjoyable to me. The other problem is the story and campiness. I really find the fact that Indiana Jones teams up with a nightclub singer and a little kid who have no experience with archeology. But hey! I love campiness in films, but not "Batman and Robin" campiness. The story is creative but not entirely. This is set a year before the first film and lacks development. Beofre you go criticizing me, I've never seen an episode of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles". I may have to watch that to satifsy my craving for development. Stephen Spielberg's direction is really good. The cinematography is great and sets are great. The visuals and stunts are pretty good. The action sequences like the nightclub fight, the plane explosion, and the mine cart chase were awesome and put me on the edge of my seat. **SPOILERS AHEAD** Before we wrap things up here, I wanna state that the villain's demise in the film was the weakest of the series. The Nazi's faces melt and explode in "Raiders", age quickly and rot to death in "The Last Crusade", and have their eyes catch on fire in "Kingdom of the Crystal Skuull". In this one, we just have them fall of a cliff and have their flesh torn out by gators. Gory, but lame. **NO MORE SPOILERS** It is no joke that this entry lacks the intelligence of the first installment. But on the bright side, "Indy 2" is fun, campy, and adventurous! "Are you trying to develop a sense of humor or am I going deaf?"

• AJ V

  
  The classic sequel to the classic film Raiders of the Lost Ark. If you liked that movie, you should see this one and the last one too, they're all so great. I loved this movie, it's a great adventure.

• danny d

  
  the worst of the three and still fantastic

• Dan S

  
  While possessing a white-knuckle finale that is very Spielberg-like, this sequel's overbearing darkness and lead heroine's performance (the awful Kate Capshaw) drag this movie down considerably. Sure, it is exciting in stretches but the overall dark and disgusting aspects of… More
  While possessing a white-knuckle finale that is very Spielberg-like, this sequel's overbearing darkness and lead heroine's performance (the awful Kate Capshaw) drag this movie down considerably. Sure, it is exciting in stretches but the overall dark and disgusting aspects of this movie overwhelm the fun and imaginative side that made "Raiders of the Lost Ark" so enjoyable. Certainly not a horrible movie, but you could make the case that this is the worst sequel ever, considering how successful and awesome the first film was.

• Spencer S

  
  Yes, I do indeed stand behind this assesment. I've heard the cattle calls, the backhanded comments, and overegos berating this second film for it's differences from the other two exceptional films in the trilogy, yet I disagree. There were still action sequences fit to beat… More
  Yes, I do indeed stand behind this assesment. I've heard the cattle calls, the backhanded comments, and overegos berating this second film for it's differences from the other two exceptional films in the trilogy, yet I disagree. There were still action sequences fit to beat the band, elaborate storytelling, and chasing down an artifact. Just because there weren't any Nazis doesn't mean it's less of an Indy thriller.

• Unknown H

  
  Not the best Indie movie but acceptable apt.

• Jens S

  
  A couple of years ago I saw this review on the internet and it stuck with me, because it's so true: "I watched it over and over back in the 1980s when I was a little'un and it always seemed to me like utter perfection. Every scene flowed like magic, and still does. The… More
  A couple of years ago I saw this review on the internet and it stuck with me, because it's so true: "I watched it over and over back in the 1980s when I was a little'un and it always seemed to me like utter perfection. Every scene flowed like magic, and still does. The evidence: Anything Goes. "Good service around here." The gong. Short Round's pedal box. "Nice try, Lao Che!" "Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" John Williams' score. Snake surprise. "We. Are going. TO DIE." "Let's get out of here." "Right... All of us!" Indy's 'hero' stance in the caves. The rollercoaster mine chase. The rope bridge fight. All the children running over the hill at the end." I couldn't agree more. Nothing gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling like an old Spielberg movie. The rope bridge scene is maybe the most iconic of adventure movie history and once Indy crawls up the remains the audience feels like he does: exhausted but happy.

• moon r

  
  the only graverobber, er, uh, i mean "archaeologist" evident here is spielberg as he ransacks the old hollywood film archives with nary a qualm. ford helps a little with not a bad improv of bogie, schweetheart, and capshaw does a pretty good fay wray, merely screaming… More
  the only graverobber, er, uh, i mean "archaeologist" evident here is spielberg as he ransacks the old hollywood film archives with nary a qualm. ford helps a little with not a bad improv of bogie, schweetheart, and capshaw does a pretty good fay wray, merely screaming herself silly scene after scene. the only "directing" happening is to keep throwing stuff at the stars and to have 'em duck. Or not.

• Corey W

  
  One of the worst sequals in movie history. You'd expect a sequel to an amazing first installment would at least qualify decent. I mean, what were the writers thinking while preparing this?

• Phil H

  
  Strange one here, there are some nice touches, the bugs, the Shanghai shoot out at the start, the famous bridge battle and the dinner sequence are all great, but the story is very daft and so is the actual Temple of Doom idea. Different that its set in India but it looks bad, dodgy… More
  Strange one here, there are some nice touches, the bugs, the Shanghai shoot out at the start, the famous bridge battle and the dinner sequence are all great, but the story is very daft and so is the actual Temple of Doom idea. Different that its set in India but it looks bad, dodgy effects here n there and Kate Capshaw was annoying. It was also cut here in England alot as its quite graphic in places.

• Conner R

  
  I think what makes Temple Of Doom work as well as it does is the complete change of pace and scenery from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It takes you to a jungle and then to a Hindu extremist temple somewhere in India. It's one of the few sequels that doesn't depend on the… More
  I think what makes Temple Of Doom work as well as it does is the complete change of pace and scenery from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It takes you to a jungle and then to a Hindu extremist temple somewhere in India. It's one of the few sequels that doesn't depend on the original to get all of its ideas and outline. This is very much a continuation of Indiana Jones rather than the Ark storyline, which I respect deeply. I think everyone does whether they know it or now because it would have diminished the respectability of Raiders had this been a typical sequel of the 80s. I feel like Harrison Ford got even better and more interesting as the first three movies went on, he's so much more dark and mysterious in this and it makes him all the more human. I think that out of all of the villains in the series, Mola Ram has got to be my favorite. He is 100% evil, equipped with heart stealing powers and escape trap doors. This is the closest to horror that the franchise ever got and also the most demented.

• Lewis C

  
  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was a genuinely exciting movie. I can't count the number of times that I had a smile on my face while I was watching it. It was filled with the kinds of moments where I was worried for the fates of our heroes and wondering how in the world… More
  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was a genuinely exciting movie. I can't count the number of times that I had a smile on my face while I was watching it. It was filled with the kinds of moments where I was worried for the fates of our heroes and wondering how in the world they would survive the terrible danger that they were in. From the memorable and complicated intro, to the happy ending, I was having a very good time. The tone of Temple of Doom is very different from Raiders of the Lost Ark. There are a few very dark scenes that I never expected to see before I watched the movie. Short Round and Willie made excellent comrades for Indy, and turned out to be much more than the annoying sidekicks that I was expecting. Overall, I found it to be funnier, more enthralling, and more exciting that the first Indiana Jones movie ever was.

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