All Indiana Jones Films Ranked From Mediocre To Masterpiece By Rotten Tomatoes
Indiana Jones has to face his most challenging adventure yet: critics’ reviews.
If you were to name the most popular adventure franchise of all time, Indiana Jones would probably be the first to come to mind. The adventures of Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, portrayed by Harrison Ford, kept audiences glued to their screens with all the excitement of the dangers surrounding him.
However, not all the movies were equally good, especially when it comes to critical acclaim. Now that the fifth installment in the franchise has been released, it's time to find out where it ranks in the critical pecking order.
Here are all the Indiana Jones movies, ranked from worst to best according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores.
5. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) – 68%
Although many were excited to see Harrison Ford return to his iconic role after so many years, the movie is not as exciting and adventurous as it used to be. The only thing that keeps you watching is the feeling of nostalgia, but it doesn't exceed anyone’s expectations.
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) – 77%
It's safe to say that Indiana Jones' comeback was well received by critics, but not so much by audiences. The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes shows only 53%, which indicates a rather poor reception. Worst of all, no one can pinpoint exactly what's wrong with it: it's just disappointing.
3. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) – 77%
Although this movie has the same critical score, it received a much better reception from the audience than the one after the franchise reboot in 2008. It wasn't a disappointment for audiences, but it did cause some confusion as it turned out to be darker than its predecessor, and not everyone was a fan of that decision.
2. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – 84%
Spielberg's best decision was to bring back the Raiders and the positive, lighthearted mood of the movie. Filled with a bunch of more humorous moments, but not completely deprived of the tension between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade remains the favorite of the franchise for many people.
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – 93%
It's extremely common for the first film in a franchise to set the tone for the rest, and that's exactly the case with Raiders of the Lost Ark. So many people, both critics and general audiences, fell in love with the adventure genre because of this movie, so the highest score it gets is absolutely fair.