Indiana Jones Trilogy, rank the beginnings and endings?

[Canadian Bacon]

Beginnings

1. Temple Of Doom-brilliant I love the title behind Willie Scott and the whole fight scene

2. Raiders-very good

3. Crusade- kinda ho hum actually

endings

1. Temple of Doom- mine chase and the way to where Indy is fighting on this cliff is brilliant

2. Raiders-melting Nazis are so cool

3. Crusade- far from terrible but not great

[neiname]

2, 3, 1

2, 3, 1

Temple of Doom is not that good

[Jackskeleton]

Beginnings:

Raiders

Temple

Last Crusade


Endings

Raiders

Last Crusade

Temple


In my view, temple started out so well and then turned to crap when no nazi's were around and the middle was just dragging that by the end.. I just didn't care anymore

[Charlie Goose]

Beginning
1) Raiders - Not as elaborate as the others, but absolutely brilliant.

2) Temple - If Lao Che was planning on poisoning Indy and then double-crossing him, why would he even bother to bring the real antidote? Why not just fill the vial with lemonade?

3) Crusade - Indy as a boy. Yawn.

Ending
1) Raiders - Don't horse around with God's stuff.

2) Temple - Breathtaking chase in the mine shaft, but a little too campy.

3) Crusade - The biblical obstacle course was okay, too easy maybe. Great line, "He chose...poorly."

So, 1-2-3 for the beginnings and endings. However, the movies themselves rank 1-3-2 for me.

[NCMojo]

Beginnings

1. Raiders
That opening mountain shot... the giant boulder... the establishing shot with the whip... this movie defines how all movies should begin.
2. Temple
Did not like the movie, but the coolest part of it was the opening. I think Harrison Ford was playing it a bit too Han Solo for my tastes, but the song ("Anything Goes") combined with the dance number combined with the poison/antidote... yeah, it was OK.
3. Crusade
Kind of cute flashback -- explains the snake, demonstrates his affinity for ancient relics -- but it just barely ranks behind Temple, IMO.

Endings

1. Raiders
Again, the definitive ending to the definitive movie. "We have our top men looking into it." "What men?" "Top... men." Not to mention the melting Nazis, the scene with the bazooka, the wrath of God... man, I need to see this movie again.
2. Crusade
Another very good ending, with a lot of fun interplay between Ford and Connery. "He chose... poorly." Plus the three tests and the temple collapsing... pretty cool.
3. Temple
Awful ending for an awful movie. Let me say this once and for all -- you cannot outrun water. Or fire, for that matter, but if there is a wave of water rushing down a tunnel, it is impossible to outrun it. Plus the fight at the end seemed awfully anticlimactic to me.

[fumanstan]

Raiders, Crusade, Temple for both :)

[rennervision]

Man - where's the love for Temple of Doom? I don't remember public outrage over it back in 1984. I vividly recall watching it in the theater, practically sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Although, overall, Raiders is my favorite, as far as action scenes go I'm going to say 2-1-3 for both the beginning and end.

I realize part 3 is a more beloved film. But for me it was nothing more than a retread of part 1, with Sean Connery thrown into the cast, and the holy grail substituted for the lost ark. I always loved the way part 2 tried to do something completely different and unique. Not every action story based in the 1930s has to involve Nazis!

[chanster]

Raiders for both. Temple was good, and I did feel that Crusade was a bit of re-tread of Raiders. But thats the way Lucas did things - same thing happens in Return of the Jedi.

[jdpatri]

Beginnings:

1. Raiders by a mile. Like ncmojo said, the perfect opening. Spectucularly written.

2. Temple a distant second. Fun and festive though. Opening song and dance number probably inches this one ahead of Crusade.

3. Crusade a shade behind Temple. Liked the flashback - snakes and whatnot. Gives us some more backstory on our hero.

Endings:

1. Raiders. Gotta love melting Nazis. Variation from the typical action climax - our protagonist survives not on his strength or courage but his knowledge.

2. Crusade takes the second because again, Indiana survives by his wits. Maybe a little bit of a Raiders rehash... that and I quote "He has chosen... poorly" about once a week.

3. Temple ends with a great chase but reminds me of the Keystone Cops a little bit too much.

OVERALL:

no surprises here....

1. Raiders
2. Crusade
3. Temple

...but I love them all.

[Pants]

Beginning:

Raiders- is there any question here!!!? Best first 10 minutes of a movie EVER!

Crusade- young Indy is the weakest part of an excellent film, but is still better than...

Temple- what a bunch of junk! Hate it

Ending:

Raiders- I have only one thing to say, "We are only passing through history Mr. Jones....this IS history."

Temple- the mine car chase is the only thing in this film worth watching

Crusade- great ending, just not as good as the other two.