Classic Review: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" stars Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, and Denholm Elliott.  Released on May 24, 1989, the film has Indiana Jones teaming up with his father to search for the Holy Grail.

The film is directed by Steven Spielberg, and it is the third installment in the Indiana Jones franchise.  After experiencing the first two astounding adventures of the title character, it is time for me to see if this installment can follow suit.  Spielberg actually made this film as an apology for making Temple of Doom the most violent Indiana Jones film ever made.  I actually had no problems with the amount of violence in the last installment, but I did know that it doesn't quite match the requirements of being family-friendly.  Thanks to the creation of the PG-13 rating, The Last Crusade became the first film in the franchise to receive that rating.  But does it still contain the amount of fun and adventure that the first two films delivered?  Well, you don't need to be an archeologist to answer that question, because it definitely does.

Pros:
The performances were good.  Harrison Ford was still impressive as the title character.

Sean Connery stole the show as Henry Jones, Indiana's father.

The chemistry between Ford and Connery was brilliant.

Great action sequences and direction.

Great use of humor.

The set designs were impressive.

Cons:
Having the Nazis as the bad guys again felt dried out.

Some of the editing felt rushed.

Final thoughts: Steven Spielberg once again delivered us another fun ride with "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", an engaging 'threequel' that not only focuses on the adventure, but also on the heart as well.  Featuring some solid performances, great action sequences, its sense of mystery, and some fantastic chemistry between Ford and Connery, this is my second favorite installment of the franchise with Raiders of the Lost Ark still on top.  Once again, if you're a fan of Indiana Jones, this film is for you. 

B+