Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees – and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.
TheDesertLad reviewedJune 17, 2025
This movie gets a lot of hate for being the darkest, for lacking Judeo-Christian elements, and the stereotypical depictions of the people in this film... However, I think this is an overlooked masterpiece and a critical film to watch when discussing George Lucas and/or Stephan Spielberg as both of them were going through personal problems of the age and it is highly reflected in this movie. Not to mention, this film proves that the "Indiana Jones formula" that Raiders/Last Crusade is known for isn't the only formula that can work.
Just because a piece of media can be "offensive" to modern audiences doesn't take away from other aspects that hold this movie up. The action is great, the depiction of cult leaders in a theatrical sense is fantastic, having non-Judeo/Christian gods "be real" in the lore allows many of the games to exist alongside Raiders and the Last Crusade. I love this movie and if you want a fun popcorn flick - this is going to do it well. Just keep the lights off to let the dark atmosphere engulf your living room in the process!