INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Writng: 7/10

Direction: 10/10

Cinematography: 10/10

Acting: 8/10

Editing: 10/10

Sound: 9/10

Score: 10/10

Production design: 10/10

Casting: 10/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall Score: 9.2/10

Temple Of Doom is experimental and risky and strives to push the franchise forward being a blockbuster. it's stylish, gory, and filled with innovative creative ideas for our characters. It's got earned tension, personal and external stakes, and a thrill ride from beginning to end. There is some unearned melodrama( Kate Cupshaw's Willie Scott) but it's redeemed by a fantastic dynamic between Indy and Short Round. Its white savior narrative story is problematic but it works around by decent representation of ethnic cultures. It's a pseudo-horror film that dares to be against the original film and carves its own identity and flavor.

Its pacing is relentless which lends well to this wild thrill ride installment of a franchise. It employs transitions, smash cuts, quick edits, and moody cinematography. Its orange and red color grading creative choice adds to the mystique of the Thugee cult and its doomed and apocalyptic landscape. Its close-ups are well used to lend it a horror-esque element with a hellish and propulsive score from John Williams adding to the threat of the cult. Its roller coaster third-act action set piece is original and one of the best-set pieces of this franchise. The production design is stellar and dazzling. Overall Temple Of Doom is unorthodox and makes a stamp on this franchise.