The ‘Indiana Jones’ Films, Ranked

1. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)

The first film in the franchise — simply “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” not “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark,” please — isn’t just the perfect prototype for an Indy adventure, it’s also a winning example of how to kick off any new film franchise. Director Steven Spielberg and creator and co-writer George Lucas had signed a five-picture deal with Paramount Pictures before making this feature, and it’s thrilling to see what information they give us about our fedora-ed hero, knowing this is their best attempt to get the audience on board with his whole deal.

We meet Indy (much later, of course, we’ll learn his real name) in the middle of a daring adventure to capture a priceless relic. And while that’s thrilling enough, what we learn next — that he’s actually an archaeologist, not a treasure-hunter, and that he’s about to set out on yet another adventure that involves perma-obsessions (like star-crossed love Marion Ravenwood and beating Nazis at every turn) — helps chart a course for Indy and his franchise that has endured for decades.

The adventure that follows provides the framework for a series that still delights with its globe-trotting missions, soaring John Williams tracks, hat-tipping grins from Indy, damn fine ingenuity, and a very healthy dose of both history and mysticism — all tied up into a package that is both satisfying and open-ended. It’s the first film in the series and the best: a mission statement and a promise, and the blueprint for everything to come. 

2. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989)

If “Raiders of the Lost Ark” laid the blueprint for what an Indy picture should look like, how it should move, and what it should tell us, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” upended that, sorta. The film’s opening sequence, in which the late River Phoenix plays young Indy, is chock-a-block with winks and nods to some of adult Indy’s most memorable personality traits.

It’s the kind of fan service-y stuff that would later come to dominate this sort of cinematic franchise, but within the context of the third film, it’s delightfully silly and fun. How did Indy get his hat? Where did his chin scar come from? Why is he afraid of snakes? Who would possibly care about any of that? Spielberg doles all this info out with such giddiness that it’s impossible to enter the third film in the franchise without similar audience jubilation.

And then they go and add Sean Connery to the mix. Sean Connery! As Indy’s dad! A wonderful bit of casting that adds new dimension both to Indy’s usual adventures, giving us Henry Jones Sr. helps recontextualize many of Indy’s bigger hang-ups, too. As the younger Jones goes on the run in hopes of saving his dear old dad (from Nazis, it’s always Nazis) and keeping nothing less than the Holy Grail from falling into the wrong hands (again, the Nazis), the third film in the franchise absolutely crackles with life. 

It all makes not just for an excellent Indiana Jones picture, but a sterling example of how franchises can continue to ideate and evolve, even when they opt for seemingly obvious additions (Sean Connery? As Indy’s dad?) to keep the storytelling going. 

3. “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984)

Let it never be said that Lucas and Spielberg weren’t innovative when it came to their serialized storytelling. For the second film in the franchise, the duo actually opted for a prequel, zinging Indy back in time a year (“Raiders” opens in 1936, while “Temple of Doom” is set in 1935) to give us a fuller look at how our hero came to be. In this iteration, Indy is a bit more cocky, far more compelled by “fortune and glory” than in preserving historical items for their educational value (audiences would have to wait five years to hear the hero growl, “It belongs in a museum!” in the third film, an ethos that doesn’t make for the kickiest catchphrase).

This Indiana Jones is indeed a bit rougher around the edges, and so too is Spielberg’s Asia-set adventure, which propels Indy (and adorable sidekick Short Round, played by eventual Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan) through glittering Shanghai and straight into the Indian countryside. All the hallmarks of an Indy adventure are still here, especially Indy’s eventual desire to save a kidnapped and enslaved group of young children from (as always!) an evil group of deranged baddies, even if some of the set-dressing (monkey brains?) feels a touch cheap.

Tucked in alongside some truly dark imagery, however, are some incredible gags, many of them thanks to Kate Capshaw’s dizzy dame Willie Scott, whose performance only gets better with each subsequent re-watch. The bit in the jungle, with all the different animals “attacking” her, as Indy and Short Round basically sigh at her exploits? Genius.

We may not see Willie or Short Round again after this throwback adventure, but they’re both indelible characters who, it seems clear, helped mold Indy into the man he came to be. What else can you ask for from a prequel?

4. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (2023)

The fifth — and yes, final — film in the franchise has been dogged by all sorts of decidely unthrilling headlines: James Mangold taking over for Spielberg, an opening sequence that relies on de-aging Ford, questions about where other beloved (and not so beloved) characters fit in here, and a middling Cannes premiere. But, taken on its own merits, “Dial of Destiny” is a rollicking closing chapter for both Indy and the franchise he made his own.

Mostly set in 1969 (more than a decade after the events of “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”), Mangold’s film actually opens in 1944, at the height of Indy’s beating-back-Nazis campaign, this time accompanied by pal Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) as the duo attempt to wrest a (possibly magical) artifact from falling into the wrong hands (Nazis, of course, led by Mads Mikkelsen as a devious doctor with a twisted plan). More than two decades later, these players (and newbies) reunite for one more globe-trotting adventure.

In the interest of not spoiling what’s to come — beyond a damn good time at the multiplex! — we will say that, while Mangold’s film takes a bit of time to get going, once it does, “Dial of Destiny” absolutely feels like a classic Indy-venture. There’s a new sidekick (a very good Phoebe Waller-Bridge), old friends (like John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, and maybe more…), exotic locales, thrilling action sequences, and one hell of a Macguffin pulling them all together. 

Purists might balk at some of the pieces — not directed by Spielberg? what even? — but “Dial of Destiny” is more than just those pieces, a warm, witting, and action-packed send-off that doesn’t skimp on anything and makes good on plenty of promises.

5. “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008)

A humble ask: watch “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” again. Divorce yourself from the “discourse,” give the fan service a break, and shake off any memories of flying monkeys (plus, yes, yes, a greaser Shia LaBeouf swinging alongside them). There’s good stuff here, from the return of Karen Allen to the fridge-nuking (which is really, actually, truly quite fun!) and Cate Blanchett getting seriously weird. And yes, there’s bad stuff, too, including (sigh) greaser Shia LaBeouf, that deranged monkey-swinging scene, and the most undercooked of MacGuffins in all of Indy lore.

But it’s still an Indiana Jones film, and that has to count for something. Even in its weakest moments and silliest sequences, there’s still the joy of seeing our hero trying something new (gruff, tired, and confused as he might be) and attempting to resurrect his hero for a new generation.

Enjoy the fun, forget the limp, and just remember: there’s another sequel after this one, and it’s worth the whiplash to get to it.