"Raiders" Triumphs Again in Limited IMAX Engagement

The fedora, the bullwhip, the iconic jacket, it can only be one man...Indiana Jones!

Bringing Raiders of the Lost Ark back into theaters was not only a genius way for us to revisit the first of the iconic Indiana Jones franchise, but in typical George Lucas fashion, also a way to introduce younger audiences to the man with the bullwhip and fedora (if a certain Kingdom of the Crystal Skull hadn't already scared the masses away four years ago). That's all fine and nostalgic, but at its core, the re-release of Raiders back into theaters (and for the first time in IMAX as well) is primarily marketed to capitalize on the upcoming Blu-Ray release.

Nowadays it's difficult slapping down ten or fifteen dollars to see a movie at the theater, but even harder when you can already watch it in the comfort of your own living room. Creators George Lucas and Steven Spielberg continue to run the Star Wars and E.T. wells dry respectively, updating these pieces of Americana over and over. And the handful of recent 3D re-releases haven't been the biggest successes, but for the few who appreciate seeing the classics the way they were meant to be seen, this niche movie going experience is worth the price of admission hands down.

Despite being the first film in the series, Raiders is chronologically the second after the drastically darker Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In Raiders, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is recruited by the US government to find and procure the biblical Ark of the Covenant, an ancient Hebrew chest containing the Ten Commandments, before the Nazis do. According to rumors, the Ark is resting undisturbed in Cairo and to find it, Indy's enlists the help of his old flame Marion (Karen Allen) and Egyptian digger Sallah (John Rhys-Davies).

To this day, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains one of the staples of the action and serial genre and for good reasons too. Raiders has it all: action, adventure, heroism and romance. In a nutshell, it's a wild ride that's stood the test of time. But what specifically sets Raiders apart from the typical action film of today? First of all, you have Harrison Ford starring as the titular professor by day, archaeologist by night. He IS Indiana Jones. Ford gives every ounce of passion to the role, giving audiences a larger than life character to cheer on. And by the way, who doesn't love the bullwhip and fedora? His iconic wardrobe, his charming personality and his heroics against some of the darkest evils of this earth set him apart from the run of the mill hero.

When you hear John Williams' "Raiders March," the first thing that comes to mind is Indiana Jones. Like his themes from Star Wars, it not only gives that sense of daring adventure, but it's so ingrained into pop culture that even the music carries this power that very few themes have. The rest of the soundtrack is just as memorable and brings depth to the storytelling. Without John Williams, Indiana Jones wouldn't be Indiana Jones. That's not taking anything away from Lucas' creation or Spielberg's direction, but besides the iconic treasure hunter himself, the soundtracks are what give these films its identity. Likewise director Spielberg has built up a reputation of being a strong director and it shows prominently in Raiders. He doesn't need long-winded scenes of exposition giving a play-by-play of what's going on, but rather utilizes actions to convey what is happening onscreen.

In the opening sequence of Raiders, Indiana Jones is shown little by little in the South American jungle, until playing with the audience too much where we need to see who he is and what he's all about. Spielberg is a master storyteller and his strong direction carries throughout the entire film as the film becomes one action sequence after another, yet still managing to develop dynamic characters along the way. They're not too complex, but they follow suit with emulating serial heroes. Raiders never lulls or drags its feet at any point and perpetually thrusts audiences into a string of new situations reminiscent of the old 30s serials. Even when adding the supernatural elements to the action adventure, it's genuinely frightening. Despite working with 30-year-old visual effects, the tricks of the time convey more realism than bombarding the scenes with today's fake CGI.

The additional plus to seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark on the big screen is it's exclusively being shown in IMAX. Now granted, Raiders isn't going to look as crystal clear as say The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises from this past summer, but the gigantic screen still immerses audiences right into the middle of the adventure.  And while for the majority of Raiders, we feel like we're right alongside Indiana Jones, off and on some scenes appear blurry and distracting like they were straight from 2003 DVD, perhaps even the VHS. That might seem harsh, but the rest of the film makes up for those shortcomings as it's restored properly for a theatrical experience.

Likewise, the audio makes this experience brand new for those seeing this in the theater for the very first time. There's so many subtle noises and sounds weaved into the soundtrack that we'd never hear at home. No matter how many times you've seen Raiders on cable or on DVD, the theatrical experience is completely different and justifies forking over money to see this iconic film in IMAX.

Raiders of the Lost Ark hearkens back to the day when movies were fun and not overanalyzed for their over the top action sequences that would never happen in real life. As an homage to the 30s serials, Spielberg gives audiences an adventure that captivates, wows and is the ultimate tool of escapism for two very fast hours. Fueled by its iconic characters, memorable score and brilliant storytelling, Raiders stands the test of time as the ultimate adventure. Films like Raiders of the Lost Ark are few and far between, but when they return to the big screen, ulterior marketing motives or not, it's an experience not to be missed.  

GRADE: A+ 10/10
This review is also available on Blu-Ray.com