Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade still holds up today as one of the strongest entries in the iconic franchise, though it is not without its minor drawbacks. Admittedly, the Indiana Jones franchise began before my time, meaning I only watched them for the first time in the 2010s. Without the nostalgia of childhood memories driving me, I remember regarding The Last Crusade as my favorite Indiana Jones movie, a somewhat unpopular opinion among the franchise’s fans given the love for Raiders of the Lost Ark​​​​​​. A big reason for my initial opinion was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’s cast. Over the years, I have failed to revisit the Indy movies, save for the theatrical release of the fifth — and likely final — installment in 2023. The ending of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny seemingly marked the end of the road for the iconic adventurer, sparking me to look back on the older installments. As it turns out, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is still my favorite of the bunch.
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade’s Cast Carries A Strong Story

The Father-Son Dynamic Is Great

The standout element of Last Crusade for me has always been the connection between Henry Jones Sr. and Henry Jones Jr., the latter of whom named himself Indiana after his dog. Harrison Ford is as great as usual as Indy, yet it is his chemistry with the ever-excellent Sean Connery as his father that helps the movie shine. The last half of the film, where the two are together, is always compelling, and the first half works by setting up a wider mystery involving Henry Sr. that makes it easy for audiences to invest in.

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The search for the Holy Grail also adds the right amount of mysticism to the fact-based archaeological world of Indiana Jones, which is more than can be said for the aliens of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the time travel of Dial of Destiny. The story of Last Crusade is compelling from start to finish and coasts on the strengths of its leading duo. Another actor worth mentioning is the late River Phoenix, who plays a great young Indy in the film’s opening. While an Indy origin story may not have been necessary, it works as a fun action set piece that explains a lot about his character.
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade Has An Abundance Of Well-Filmed Action Scenes

The Film Is Never Boring

With the central duo and quest for the Holy Grail working, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade only needs to keep our interest. It does so via some excellent action sequences which, interestingly, include every type of chase sequence you can think of — from the train chase at the start to a boat chase in Venice, a motorcycle chase in Germany, a plane dogfight, and a tank/horse chase in the deserts of Hatay. Despite the idea of endless chases feeling somewhat monotonous and repetitive, all of them work. Each scene has its share of unique action elements that make each different from the other. Aside from this, they are all simply well-constructed. The chase sequences feature excellent stunt and effects work, from Indy’s boat being crushed beneath a propeller to the tank sequence and the exploding cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Even the non-chase action works, with the plane sequence incorporating dated but great-for-their-time CGI effects and the castle scene in Austria having the fun gimmick of the rotating wall. Overall, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade moves quickly thanks to its great action.
Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade Is Not Perfect, But It Doesn’t Need To Be

The Film Has Some Mixed Elements, But A Hell Of A Lot Of Charm

Beyond the strong cast, good story, and exciting action, some parts of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade do not work completely. The Indiana Jones villain Elsa, for example, is never one I found myself loving. She is mostly fine and the movie continues to paint her as someone who wants the Holy Grail but does not align with the Nazi party, yet her alliance with them in the first place just rubs me the wrong way. As Indy so finely puts it at one point in the movie, “You stood up to be counted with the enemy of everything the Grail stands for.”

Other small elements stand out, from the strong, morally complex nature of the father-son relationship between Henry and Indy to the great aging effects in the Holy Grail’s tomb…

Throughout the film, I also noticed there were several conveniences and small plot holes. The “X Marks the Spot” scene is somewhat unbelievable, as is Indy’s paper carrying the inscription to the Holy Grail surviving an underwater swim and fiery explosion. Also, the film tries to indicate that Indy and his ally, Marcus, would not have heard someone trying to ransack their hotel in Venice, which seems implausible. I admit, though, that these are simple nitpicks of an otherwise well-told story. On the whole, the film works beyond this. Other small elements stand out, from the strong, morally complex nature of the father-son relationship between Henry and Indy to the great aging effects in the Holy Grail’s tomb and the puzzles needed to get there. Watching Indy navigate these puzzles felt like a video game, so I am not surprised by the success of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I still think Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is the best in the series that, while not without its flaws, has plenty going for it as a solid adventure under the iconic hero’s hat.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

8/10

Release Date

May 24, 1989

Runtime

127 Minutes

Writers

George Lucas, Philip Kaufman, Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes

Pros & Cons

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has an excellent cast, led effortlessly by Harrison Ford and Sean Connery
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’s missing person story is just as compelling as the search for the Holy Grail
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade strikes a good balance between fact and fiction, which other installments have struggled with
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade has a lot of compelling, unique chase scenes that make for exciting action
The music, shot choices, CGI, and practical effects all work well in the movie

The film tries and fails to make Elsa a sympathetic villain given her Nazi ties
Several plot conveniences drive Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade