Ranking the 5 Indiana Jones Movies — From Least to Most Favorable

      The finest Indiana Jones film is considered one of the greatest movies ever created, while the weakest installment arguably should never have been made.

      Though George Lucas is primarily recognized for creating Star Wars, he also introduced Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, an academic archaeologist and occasional adventurer who dedicates his life to seeking artifacts that rightfully belong in a museum.

      He’s resilient, grumpy, and incredibly intelligent — both mentally and with a whip. Portrayed by Harrison Ford (and River Phoenix for a brief period in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), he might be the most remarkable action-adventure star in Hollywood history.

      In a fortunate collaboration, Lucas teamed up with his close friend Steven Spielberg for the franchise, with Spielberg directing nearly all of the Indiana Jones films. When the films excel, they shine. However, when they falter, it only accentuates the brilliance of the better ones.

      Below is our ranking of all five Indiana Jones films from least to most impressive.

      Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      To clarify, we are fans of Indiana Jones films — so much so that we wish the series had concluded after the third installment. Although Spielberg did not direct the 2023 release, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, we believe it might have been marginally better under his direction.

      James Mangold, a highly regarded director known for films like Logan and Walk the Line, stepped in for Spielberg, who served only as an executive producer this time.

      The film's main issue was simply time, which catches up with us all. Harrison Ford — one of the greatest actors and movie stars in history — was nearing 80 during filming.

      One of the appealing aspects of Indiana Jones films is that he is consistently the underdog, enduring hardships while humorously outmatched. Yet Dial of Destiny demanded an excessive amount of suspension of disbelief, particularly during an overly reliant CGI opening where Ford was de-aged by decades.

      Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was the least successful Indiana Jones film at the box office, bringing in around $384 million against a substantial budget — Forbes estimated it resulted in a loss exceeding $100 million.

      We also found the conclusion to be excessive, landing it on our list of sequels that weren’t needed.

      Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      This film is acceptable, but we anticipate more from Indiana Jones. The franchise should evoke thrilling peaks, seemingly effortless humor, and introductions to captivating mythologies, adjusted for mainstream audiences.

      Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull featured an interesting setting — we appreciated the nod to 1950s science fiction and B movies, especially the delightfully absurd moment when a refrigerator saves Indy from an atomic explosion.

      The cast was also enjoyable. Cate Blanchett faced the unenviable role of the lead antagonist, a KGB agent vying with Indy for a telepathic crystal skull in Peru — a nice reference to the initial scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark set in Peru.

      Harrison Ford was in great form, and we were excited to see Karen Allen reprise her role as Marion Ravenwood. Shia LaBeouf was decent as Mutt Williams, although we wish he had never joined the franchise given his unfortunate fate revealed in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. We appreciated the film’s flirtation with passing the Indy legacy to Mutt before Indy himself dismisses that idea.

      Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      As previously stated, we wish this film had genuinely been the final crusade as the Indy franchise could have formed an excellent trilogy.

      Following a wild detour in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Last Crusade returned the franchise to its foundational mission: Indiana Jones battling Nazis. We love it, especially with Sean Connery’s addition as Indy’s father, Henry, elevating the film to instant classic status.

      With twists and surprises aplenty, the climax — Indiana deciphering deadly puzzles to find the Holy Grail — was expertly executed, allowing the audience to engage rather than just watch Indy perform daring feats.

      We absolutely adore this film, along with the two remaining films on our list.

      Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

      Paramount – Credit: Paramount

      Indeed, we believe Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom surpasses Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We appreciate both films, but we anticipate some may disagree with our selection, so let us elaborate.

      More than nearly any other film, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a relentless thrill ride from beginning to end. Even during a brief pause for exposition in the dinner scene, there’s a classic Indiana Jones distraction — namely the grotesque food served at Pankot Palace.

      That scene has faced criticism for implying that the inhabitants of the fictional Pankot — and, by extension, individuals resembling them — are somehow primitive. However, consider