Ranking All 5 Indiana Jones Movies from Least to Most Favorable

      The finest Indiana Jones film ranks among the greatest movies ever made, while the worst one arguably should never have been produced.

      Though George Lucas is primarily celebrated as the mastermind behind Star Wars, he is also the creator of Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, an academic archaeologist and occasional adventurer devoted to traveling worldwide in search of artifacts worthy of a museum.

      He's resilient, irritable, exceptionally clever — and skilled with a whip. Portrayed by Harrison Ford (and briefly by River Phoenix in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), he may be the most remarkable action-adventure hero that Hollywood has ever seen.

      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 these movies shine, they are brilliant; when they falter, they make the stronger films seem even better.

      Here is our ranking of all five Indiana Jones films, ordered from least to most favorable.

      **Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny**

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      To clarify, we adore Indiana Jones films — we love them so much that we wish they had concluded after three. Spielberg did not direct 2023's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and while we believe he might have improved it somewhat had he been at the helm,

      James Mangold, renowned for directing films like Logan and Walk the Line, took over for Spielberg, who was only involved as an executive producer for this installment.

      The film’s main issue was simply the passage of time. Harrison Ford, among the greatest actors and movie stars, was nearing 80 during its production.

      One of the appeals of Indiana Jones is his perpetual status as the underdog, enduring physical beatings while humorously outmatched. However, Dial of Destiny strayed too far from reality, particularly with an ill-conceived CGI-heavy opening showcasing a de-aged Ford.

      Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ended up being the lowest-grossing Indiana Jones film, amassing about $384 million against a substantial budget — Forbes estimated that it lost in excess of $100 million.

      Moreover, we found the ending to be excessive, regrettably placing it on our list of sequels that shouldn’t have been made.

      **Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull**

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      This film is acceptable, yet it falls short of the high standards we expect from Indiana Jones. The franchise should deliver thrilling moments, seemingly effortless humor, and captivating mythologies that have been tailored for mainstream (or preferably, drive-in) audiences.

      Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull featured an intriguing setting — we appreciated the nod to 1950s sci-fi films and atomic age B movies, particularly embodied in the ridiculous yet entertaining scene where a refrigerator protects Indy from an atomic explosion.

      The cast was also commendable. Cate Blanchett had the challenging role of the primary antagonist, a KGB agent racing against Indy for a telepathic crystal skull located in Peru — a nice callback to the Peru-based opening scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

      Harrison Ford delivered a strong performance, and we were excited to see Karen Allen reprise her role as Marion Ravenwood. Shia LaBeouf was passable as Mutt Williams, although we wish he hadn't become part of the franchise considering his unfortunate fate revealed in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. We also enjoyed the film’s potential shift of the Indy legacy to Mutt — only for Indy to ultimately dismiss that idea.

      **Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade**

      Paramount – Credit: C/O Paramount

      As mentioned earlier, we wish this had truly been the last crusade, as the Indy franchise could have been a remarkable trilogy.

      Following a significant departure in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Last Crusade returned the franchise to its fundamental mission: Indiana Jones combating Nazis. We love it, and the addition of Sean Connery as Indy’s father, Henry, elevated it to instant classic status.

      The plot is filled with twists and surprises, leading to a masterful conclusion where Indiana navigates a series of deadly puzzles to discover the Holy Grail, inviting the audience to engage rather than merely watch Indy tackle obstacles.

      We absolutely adore this film, as well as the final two entries 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. While we cherish both movies, we anticipate that many will disagree with our choice here, so allow us to elaborate.

      Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is an exhilarating ride from start to finish unlike almost any other film. Even when the pace slows briefly during the dinner scene, classic Indiana Jones distractions are present — particularly the grotesque cuisine served at Pankot Palace.

      This scene has faced criticism for seemingly portraying the people of fictional Pankot — and,