Hi all!

With the recent release of The Dial of Destiny, I thought it was time to finally rank this incredibly iconic franchise. It follows the adventures of archaeologist/university professor, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford). I’ve loved these movies since I was a little girl. From the legendary theme music, to the whip and fedora, I experience plenty of nostalgia and happiness every time I rewatch them. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

Spoilers Ahead! 

1.) Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom 

The Temple of Doom is without a doubt, the best Indiana Jones movie and you cannot change my mind. It is the second film in the franchise. What a sequel! Desperate villagers in India beg Indy to find a mystical stone; rescuing their children from a Thuggee cult practicing child slavery, black magic and ritual human sacrifice. He teams up with nightclub singer, Wilhelmina “Willie” Scott and Chinese boy, Short Round (Ke Huy Quan) and together, they enter a temple of great horrors. There are so many iconic scenes. The monkey brains, the eyeball soup, the heart being ripped out, the chase scene at the beginning, the bugs in the walls and so much more. It’s a wild ride from start to finish and I never get tired of it. 

2.) Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark 

In second place, we have the very first Indiana Jones film: The Raiders of the Lost Ark. This movie ties in with the two most recent films, so you may want to watch it first, before seeing Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Dial of Destiny. In 1936, Indy is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler’s Nazis can obtain its awesome powers. Yes, this is the instalment with the giant rolling rock. We also learn just how much our hero hates snakes and swoon when he and Marion finally kiss aboard the ship. Not to mention, what happens when the Ark is finally opened! It’s a journey across land and sea you won’t want to miss.

3.) Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade 

Next, we have The Last Crusade, the third film in the franchise. In 1938, Indy discovers his father (Sean Connery), is missing whilst searching for the Holy Grail. He must once again, race against a group of Nazis before they find it – and his dad – first. As a young girl, I remember being terrified by a certain scene. I’m referring to the temple in Jordan, when someone drinks the wrong cup. If you know, you know. It’s a classic but I don’t re-watch it as often as the other two above.

4.) Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny 

In fourth place, we have the latest film: The Dial of Destiny. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was definitely a movie for the fans, considering the amount of Easter Eggs I picked up on. It follows Indiana Jones and his colleague, Basil Shaw, as they attempt to stop a Nazi villain from using a mysterious artifact called the Antikythera. It is a time-travel device, said to be created by Archimedes. For the flashback scenes in 1945, they de-aged Harrison Ford, so he appeared younger. In the ‘present’ day, he is shown as a crotchety old man in the 1960’s-1970’s, forced to pick up his whip and fedora again in pursuit of the Dial. As always, there is plenty of action, adventure and priceless artifacts to save. I thought they did a good job with it, considering how many years have passed since the last one.

5.) Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

In last place, we have The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. This is most people’s least favourite film in the franchise. In 1957, Indiana Jones becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts, known as the Crystal Skulls. Led by the brilliant Irina Spalko, the Soviets tail Jones and Mutt Williams, (Indy’s estranged son by Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark) to Peru. Firstly, I hated the ending. It went in a science-fiction direction I didn’t care for. Secondly, the addition of Shia LaBeouf as a long-lost child felt unnecessary to me. I had no care or connection to him. It was a forgettable instalment and one I haven’t re-visited since.

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank this franchise? 

Peace & Love xoxo