I finally saw Temple of Doom after 16 years, and it was more like a trip to the Cenote of Disappointment. When I first saw this film, I did not know so much about India and Hindu culture as I do today. Now I am able to see that the film's premise is a misconception of the Hindu spiritual order--in fact, it is a struggle to fit that order into a dualism Western audiences would be able to understand. Thus, we have the goddess Kali as the "evil" side and Siva as the "good" side, and a film wandering lost between the two. Hindu thought, however, isn't dualistic. True, Kali tends to be regarded as a darker entity, but she is also looked upon as a mother figure and a protector. Siva is no god of goodness and light--he is both creator and destroyer. Combine these with a representation of the Thuggee cult unlike anything I've ever read about, and I had a film with no substance giving an impression of the Indian subcontinent that is blown way out of proportion. Maybe the film wouldn't be ruined for everyone, but it was for me.
Review of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
