RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Raiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
94 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:47

Fresh:44

Rotten:3

Average Rating:8.8/10

Consensus: Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.

Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: Action-packed and adventure-filled, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is director Steven Spielberg's loving homage to the Saturday matinee cliffhanger serials of his childhood. When the Allies discover the... Action-packed and adventure-filled, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is director Steven Spielberg's loving homage to the Saturday matinee cliffhanger serials of his childhood. When the Allies discover the Nazis are planning to use the Lost Ark of the Covenant as a weapon, the U.S. government enlists archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) to locate the biblical treasure chest where the remains of the broken tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed. En route, Jones and his feisty ex-girlfriend, Marion (Karen Allen), must escape the clutches of evil Nazis, duplicitous "natives," and a nest of venomous snakes--not to mention the wrath of God. The groundbreaking special effects and furious, never-ending pace make for a stylish whirlwind of a movie, topped off with a fabulous sense of humor. This bare-knuckled, barnstorming, pot-boiling, eye-popping bucket of Technicolor popcorn became Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film, and deservedly so--RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is quite simple one of the most enjoyable movies ever made. [More]

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Alfred Molina

Director: Steven Spielberg

Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan
Story: George Lucas, Philip Kaufman
Producer: Frank Marshall
Composer: John Williams
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 21

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Raiders of the Lost Ark

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The thrills are fully consumed while you’re seeing this movie, and it’s totally over when it’s over. It’s a workout. You feel as if you’d been to the desert digs: at the end your mind is blank, yet you’re parched, you’re puffing hard -- you want relief.

Full Review Source: New Yorker | comment 22 Comments
05/27/08
Pauline Kael
Pauline Kael
New Yorker
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Justifiably one of the most indelible adventure films in cinematic history...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
05/26/08
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

It's the perfect vacation-time movie: not a serious moment in its whole two hours but so crammed with laughter, thrills and cinematic sleight of hand that audiences will be sorry when it's over.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
05/22/08
Robert W. Butler
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star

Lost Ark holds up for many reasons, not least of which is because of Spielberg's consummate skill as a visual storyteller and his ability to draw charged performances from his actors.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
05/21/08
Jeremiah Kipp
Jeremiah Kipp
Slant Magazine

The postmodern heir to North By Northwest...Like any deathless classic, Raiders is a perfect marriage of star and material.

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
05/14/08
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

...despite the fast pace, the movie is never frenetic or tiring, just pure, unadulterated fun throughout.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
05/07/08
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

The most purely fun movie ever made.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
05/06/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

...lets us indulge in childish thrills without feeling silly about it.

Full Review Source: LarsenOnFilm | comment Comment
05/06/08
Josh Larsen
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm

Vastly entertaining, Spielberg's adventure herladed a new breed of Hollywood blockbuster (and event film), a tale that combines classic Hollywood story-telling, playful postmodern sensibility and spectacular stunts presented in rapid-fire pacing.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
03/08/08
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Splendid.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/04/08
Channel 4 Film

perhaps the greatest adventure movie of all time

Full Review Source: sbs.is | comment 1 Comment
02/15/08
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is

...a crackerjack fantasy-adventure that shapes its pulp sensibilities and cliff-hanging serial origins into an exhilarating escapist entertainment that will have broad-cased summer audiences in the palm of its hand.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/28/07
Stephen Klain
Stephen Klain
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

One would think that a collaboration between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas would produce something better than this giggly pastiche of a Republic serial...

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 37 Comments
06/28/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

New Hollywood moguls Spielberg and Lucas teamed up to create the first -- and best -- of their extremely popular plunderings of old adventure serials ... In retrospect, it also appears as a precise pop-culture inauguration of Reagan-era retro Americanism.

Full Review Source: Boulder Weekly | comment Comment
08/07/06
Thomas Delapa
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

Whether you swallow it or not, see it for a handful of totally unexpected visual jokes, worth the price of admission alone.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Classic action set pieces, Harrison Ford at his swashbuckling best, Old Testament spirituality, and a satiric jab at Nazi anti-Semitism.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
11/07/03
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

This is the kind of movie that, even today, audiences immediately fall in love with. It has all the right ingredients: a smart script, a likable hero, a dash of romance, more than a touch of comedy, and a lot of fast-paced action.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
11/06/03
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

Throughout the film, Spielberg evokes the kind of armchair-clutching action sequences that remind us why they're called motion pictures.

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
10/27/03
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

You'd have to be a heathen to argue with the fact that Raiders of the Lost Ark stands as the best action-adventure movie ever made.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/18/03
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

No review available.

comment Comment
09/02/03
Ryan Cracknell
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for Raiders of the Lost Ark

July 28, 2008: Lucas Considers a Fifth Indiana Jones Opens in new window
George Lucas is bringing Clone Wars to a theater near you, getting down to work on the Tuskegee Airmen-inspired Red Tails, and -- oh yeah -- contemplating a fifth Indiana Jones... More...

July 16, 2008: Exclusive: The World of WALL-E
The artists behind this year's freshest film share their story with RT, with exclusive contributions from Andrew Stanton, Ben Burtt, Jim Morris, Lindsay Collins, Angus MacLane,... More...

May 21, 2008: Indiana Jonesin': How Does the Latest Chapter Measure Up?
Everyone has their favorite Indiana Jones movie -- and their own thoughts on if Raiders of the Ark is better than Last Crusade. (Sorry, Temple of Doom -- there's no contest). ... More...

May 12, 2008: RT on DVD: Indiana Jones Box Set, Narnia in Blu-ray, and a Porn Virus Epidemic?
Spaced, the UK cult hit series, is finally headed to the States this summer - but guess what's here now? A 3-disc Indiana Jones DVD collection and Narnia in Blu-ray! (Plus, we... More...

See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

56% 56% 9 09/12
66% 66% Away We Go 10/12
16% 16% Planet 51 03/12
70% 70% Religulous 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Ban Them All!

Ban Them All!

10 Most Controversial Movies

Looking Nine

Looking Nine

Hot new images from the upcoming musical

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Wild Things!

Wild Things!

Win tickets to the wild rumpus of 2009

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
27
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
20
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
12
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
8
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
7
  • First Iron Man 2 Poster Released Source: Yahoo! Movies
60
  • Ryan Reynolds Talks Green Lantern Source: MTV
14
  • Paul Greengrass Quits Fourth Bourne Source: The Playlist
27
  • Tobey Maguire Talks Brothers, Spider-Man 4 Source: Boston Globe
30
  • Nimrod Antal Talks Predators Source: ComingSoon.net
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
90
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
89
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
47
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
32
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
16
  • Duncan Jones Reteams With Kevin Spacey
5
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Raiders of the Lost Ark at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win 9 tickets
Win 9 tickets External Link

20 double passes to win to the new animated film, produced by Tim Burton.

Win Wild Things Tickets
Win Wild Things Tickets External Link

Free double passes to join Spike Jonze's wild rumpus.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.