Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Review

I remember falling in love with Indiana Jones when I was about 11 years old. Raiders of the Lost Ark was a thrill ride like nothing I'd ever seen before (maybe the first Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.) So naturally, I couldn't wait to see The Temple of Doom. I had nightmares for weeks. Don't get me wrong, Raiders of the Lost Ark also had some spooky bits with the ark's mysterious deadly powers, but Temple of Doom really turned up the frightfulness with rituals of devil worship and human sacrifice. To this day, although not nightmare inducing, it's still pretty freaky stuff. Also, to me anyways, this film feels more violent too. I don't have any numbers to back that statement up, but it's just how I feel when watching it. This adventure takes Indiana Jones to India in one of my favourite settings of the series. Sure, it's awesome to see Indiana Jones find treasure in the desert and fighting Nazis, but it's also cool seeing Indy in the jungle. Like James Bond, I like how each movie tries to have a different location and feel to each of the movies. Same goes for the love interest, which brings me to Willie. Many people have grievances with Willie Scott, Short-Round and some other cheesy moments like the out of place opening dance number and the impossible escape from a pilotless plane with a river raft. But honestly, those don't bother me because it's a movie where a devil worshipper can take someone's heart out of their body and have the person still alive. With Harrison Ford back in the title role, and great action sequences like the mine cart chase, this film is an epic adventure. I still give the notch to Raiders but I can still say that I love Temple of Doom.