Indiana Jones Movies Ranked: As Raiders of the Lost Ark Returns to Cinemas
By Dan Bremner - September 11, 2026
Perhaps the most iconic and influential adventure franchise of all time. Without Indiana Jones, it’s hard to imagine pop-culture staples like Nathan Drake, Lara Croft, or even The Mummy’s Rick O’Connell existing in the same form. Like many, I grew up watching the original trilogy endlessly throughout the early 2000s, so I doubt my ranking will shock anyone too much.
Even at its weakest, I still hold a deep nostalgic affection for the fedora-wearing archaeologist Harrison Ford has embodied across 45 years and five films, though that affection has certainly been tested over the years. With Raiders of the Lost Ark returning to cinemas for a one-week-only re-release, there’s no better time to revisit the highs and lows of this iconic franchise.
5 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
A crushing disappointment. What should have been a fitting swansong for one of cinema’s greatest heroes, with the usually reliable James Mangold stepping in for Steven Spielberg, instead became the franchise’s lowest point. Dial of Destiny is bloated, ugly, and oddly lifeless, an overlong slog that trades practical, tactile adventure for glaring green screens and weightless digital excess, all while carrying an absurdly inflated budget.
Worse still is the tone. Indy is reintroduced as a miserable, depressed, divorced alcoholic grieving a dead son, and adding in a Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an often obnoxious sidekick. That’s not inherently a bad direction, but the film does absolutely nothing interesting with it, leaving Ford stranded in a joyless farewell that never feels earned or celebratory, acting as another example of the nostalgia-baiting franchise rehashing that is plaguing the industry today. As a finale, it fails spectacularly, and perhaps most unforgivably wastes Mads Mikkelsen (an inspired casting choice) on a bland, underwritten villain. Criminal stuff. If you want a modern take that actually captures the spirit, tone, and texture of Indiana Jones, you’re far better off playing MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle instead.
4 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
For many, this is the unquestioned low point of the franchise, so much so that “nuking the fridge” replaced “jumping the shark” as shorthand for a series losing its way. I went through that phase too. I loved it on release (I was 11), then grew to hate it, before finally softening on a rewatch a few years ago.
Yes, the problems are plentiful: the vine-swinging monkeys, Shia “I'm not Famous anymore” LaBeouf’s grating Mutt Williams, Indy surviving a nuclear blast in a fridge, and a finale that goes full sci-fi with interdimensional aliens. But despite all that, Spielberg still directs the hell out of it. The action is energetic and chaotic in the best way, the set-pieces slap, John Williams’ score is fantastic, and crucially, it still feels like Indiana Jones. As flawed as it is, it’s a far more satisfying place to leave the character than what followed.
3 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
The darkest and most divisive entry in the original trilogy (and mistakenly a prequel) Temple of Doom is a grimier, meaner, more violent adventure than Raiders, but one that remains hugely entertaining. Kate Capshaw’s Willie Scott is undeniably irritating, screaming her way through nearly every scene, but Ke Huy Quan’s Short Round more than makes up for it. He’s a joyous, charismatic presence with terrific chemistry alongside Ford.
The shift to India gives the film a striking new flavour, leading to some of the franchise’s most memorable set-pieces: the mine carts, the rope bridge, the Thuggee cult rituals. It’s an underrated ’80s action-adventure that doesn’t always get its due, even if its cultural portrayals and tonal excesses remain understandably controversial.
2 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
The perfect crowd-pleaser. The Last Crusade brings the series back in line with Raiders by reintroducing the Nazis as villains and grounding the adventure in something more personal. The addition of Henry Jones Sr. is a masterstroke, giving Harrison Ford and Sean Connery the chance to spar and bond in equal measure, resulting in one of the most charming double acts in blockbuster history.
From the Holy Grail quest to the Venice chases, tank battle, and desert antics, it’s wall-to-wall fun. The opening prologue with River Phoenix as a young Indy is an absolute riot, and the film strikes the perfect balance between humour, spectacle, and heart. On any given day, this could easily be my favourite, it really is that close.
1 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Could it be anything else? The film that launched the legend and instantly cemented Indiana Jones as an icon. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a flawless homage to the adventure serials of the 1940s, elevated by Spielberg’s impeccable direction, George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan’s propulsive storytelling, and John Williams’ all-time great score.
Every set-piece is timeless, every beat perfectly judged, and Indy himself arrives fully formed: rugged, clever, vulnerable, and endlessly charismatic. I’ve watched this film an ungodly number of times, and it never loses its magic. Whatever the future holds for the franchise, it’s hard to imagine anything ever topping the purity, confidence, and enduring brilliance of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
From September 11 – 17, the classic adventure, Raiders of the Lost Ark, is back for one week only and, for the first time in UK cinemas, the film will be available to see in 4DX, as well as in 4K and IMAX
For more features, reviews, and deep dives into film and TV, keep it locked to Film Focus Online.
Dan Bremner
Writer
Dan is a writer from Guildford with a love for all things genre, schlocky, and thoroughly '80s, and a part-time philanthropist.
Want your film or TV show reviewed by Dan? Contact us.
