Considering that Raiders of the Lost Ark is the most stylish, exciting family adventure film ever made, it's remarkable just how much Spielberg and Lucas lost their way on Temple of Doom.
The script has little or no wit, the supporting female character is just irritating (what happened to Karen Allen?), there's casual racism galore, and the last half hour just feels like one identical piece of drawn-out tension. Despite virtually never pausing to take a breath, it's simply less interesting than Raiders because it lacks timing and intelligence.
Still, it's Spielberg and Ford, so it can never be all bad, and there's usually enough going on to keep the attention. And maybe we can thank Temple of Doom for one thing; I think there's a strong chance that Spielberg decided to make the superb Last Crusade by way of an apology.
The script has little or no wit, the supporting female character is just irritating (what happened to Karen Allen?), there's casual racism galore, and the last half hour just feels like one identical piece of drawn-out tension. Despite virtually never pausing to take a breath, it's simply less interesting than Raiders because it lacks timing and intelligence.
Still, it's Spielberg and Ford, so it can never be all bad, and there's usually enough going on to keep the attention. And maybe we can thank Temple of Doom for one thing; I think there's a strong chance that Spielberg decided to make the superb Last Crusade by way of an apology.