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Movies / On DVD / Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

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Reviews Counted:47

Fresh:44

Rotten:3

Average Rating:8.8/10

Consensus: Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.

Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Action-packed and adventure-filled, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is director Steven Spielberg's loving homage to the Saturday matinee cliffhanger serials of his childhood. When the Allies discover the... Action-packed and adventure-filled, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is director Steven Spielberg's loving homage to the Saturday matinee cliffhanger serials of his childhood. When the Allies discover the Nazis are planning to use the Lost Ark of the Covenant as a weapon, the U.S. government enlists archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) to locate the biblical treasure chest where the remains of the broken tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed. En route, Jones and his feisty ex-girlfriend, Marion (Karen Allen), must escape the clutches of evil Nazis, duplicitous "natives," and a nest of venomous snakes--not to mention the wrath of God. The groundbreaking special effects and furious, never-ending pace make for a stylish whirlwind of a movie, topped off with a fabulous sense of humor. This bare-knuckled, barnstorming, pot-boiling, eye-popping bucket of Technicolor popcorn became Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film, and deservedly so--RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is quite simple one of the most enjoyable movies ever made. [More]

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina

Director: Steven Spielberg

Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan
Story: George Lucas, Philip Kaufman
Producer: Frank Marshall
Composer: John Williams
Studio: Paramount Pictures

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Reviews for Raiders of the Lost Ark

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41 - 47 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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This film was also not only the subject of my very first movie review, but also the reason why I started reading movie reviews in newspapers and paying attention what the critics actually think about movies.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Astounding movie packed with non-stop action, stunts galore, an interesting story line, great one-liners, a solid cast, a catchy musical score, and all the fun and adventure that you could squeeze into a two-hour thrill ride.

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
01/01/00
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

Spielberg brings his signature blend of action/adventure and humor to the film, celebrating its 19th anniversary with this re-release.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

Raiders Of The Lost Ark was the first in the Indiana Jones trilogy, and it can be argued that it changed the course of filmmaking for the better part of a decade.

Full Review Source: Matt's Movie Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Matt Easterbrook
Matt Easterbrook
Matt's Movie Reviews

The movie is just plain fun.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Think of it as a high quality version of one of the old movie serials that kids used to get every Saturday at the theater before the double feature.

Full Review Source: Internet Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes
Internet Reviews

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) is the spectacular, cliff-hanger, breathlessly-paced, non-stop action/adventure film of the early 1980s -

Full Review Source: Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films | comment Comment
01/01/00
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films
 
 
41 - 47 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Raiders of the Lost Ark

July 28, 2008: Lucas Considers a Fifth Indiana Jones Opens in new window
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Everyone has their favorite Indiana Jones movie -- and their own thoughts on if Raiders of the Ark is better than Last Crusade. (Sorry, Temple of Doom -- there's no contest). ... More...

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