Movie · 1984 · Adventure, Action · 1h 58m · PG · English
Curator score: 5.5/10 (1.3M ratings)
If adventure has a name... it must be Indiana Jones.
Overview
After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone. He agrees – and stumbles upon a secret cult plotting a terrible plan in the catacombs of an ancient palace.
Ratings
Curator score: 5.5/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.66/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Metacritic: 57
TMDB: 7.3/10
Director
Steven Spielberg
Production
Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm Ltd.
Cast
Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, Roshan Seth, Philip Stone, Roy Chiao, David Yip, Ric Young, Chua Kah Joo, Rex Ngui, Philip Tan, Dan Aykroyd, Akio Mitamura, Michael Yama, D.R. Nanayakkara, Dharmadasa Kuruppu, Stany De Silva, Ruby de Mel, Denavaka Hamine
Where to watch
Disney Plus, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
Curator Review
Verdict
A bigger, meaner, more chaotic Indiana Jones adventure with standout set pieces, propulsive pacing, and iconic action-comedy energy. It’s also the series entry most likely to divide viewers because of its harsher tone, cartoonish excess, and deeply dated racial stereotypes.
Best for
fans of pulpy adventure movies
viewers who want elaborate practical action and stunt work
people who like darker, more chaotic sequels
fans of 1980s blockbuster spectacle
Skip if
you’re sensitive to racist caricature and colonialist framing
you want the breezier charm of Raiders
you prefer grounded adventure over heightened pulp violence
you dislike shrill comic-relief side characters
Overview
Temple of Doom is the Indiana Jones movie that feels most like a fever dream: louder, nastier, funnier, and more grotesque than the first film. Spielberg stages the action with incredible precision, and the mine cart chase, bridge finale, and opening nightclub sequence are all top-tier blockbuster craftsmanship. It’s a movie built on momentum, physical comedy, and escalating danger, and when it clicks, it’s exhilarating.
Worth noting
At the same time, it’s impossible to ignore how ugly some of its cultural imagery is. The film leans hard into colonial-era adventure pulp and repeatedly turns India into a nightmare landscape of stereotypes, while some of the character writing, especially for Willie, is grating even by 1980s standards. That tension is part of why the movie remains so debated: it’s both a masterclass in action filmmaking and a messy artifact of its era.
Bottom line
If you’re here for spectacle, it absolutely delivers. If you’re looking for the most balanced or likable Indiana Jones entry, this is probably not it. But as a piece of blockbuster excess, it’s unforgettable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Karsten (3.5★) · 6044 likes
nobody is talking about the mine cart scene, huge fan of the mine cart scene
mia lee vicino (3★) · 3965 likes
THANK YOU MR. SPIELBERG FOR THE SINGULAR TORN-OFF SLEEVE!! PERFECTLY SYMBOLIZES INDY’S TWO SIDES: HOT PROFESSOR BY DAY, HOT ARCHEOLOGIST ALSO BY DAY!! GENIUS!!!! GENIUS I TELLS YA!!!!! ASK ANYONE — I CAN’T SHUT UP ABOUT THIS FRICKIN SLEEVE!!!!!!!!!!
mia lee vicino (2.5★) · 3787 likes
the best part of this movie is how Indy is just ..... soaked in sweat from beginning to end. the man is constantly drenched no matter what he’s wearing or how he’s feeling and it’s so funny that it almost transcends the bizarre racism. almost
James (Schaffrillas) (3★) · 3772 likes
I don't trust mfs who say this is their favorite Indiana Jones movie
Evan (4★) · 2892 likes
Short Round is the most badass side-kick ever. Period.
2022 · Action, Adventure, Comedy · 1h 52m · PG-13 · Curator 1.5/10 (530.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Netflix Standard with Ads
A contemporary adventure-comedy that riffs on jungle peril, hidden treasure, and romantic banter.