Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny trailer

[sprytel]

I rewatched Temple of Doom earlier this year, and I agree with most of your complaints. The tone is just off.

I mean, Indy starts the movie selling his archaeological find off to Chinese gangsters for a giant diamond. It is a far cry from "It belongs in a museum."

It wasn’t foreign people, it was worshippers of Kali and the Thuggee cult.

No, the disgusting feast happens while the palace is trying to avoid being detected as part of the Thuggee cult. The British officer is there at the palace, yet he doesn't seem phased. The movie implies this is not unexpected in India. (Of course, now we know the whole Thuggee concept itself was likely an invention of the British... out of that same demonization of the "other". So it kinda is two sides to the same coin.) The movie also leans pretty hard on white savior tropes... both with Indy and with the civilizing force of the British "cavalry" saving the day.

There is a lot of misogyny in how Indy interacts with Willie. A lot of Short Round's dialogue is cringey (and only saved by Ke Huy Quan's performance being way stronger than the material). It is just a problematic movie.

Personally, I think there are also some redeeming things about Temple of Doom. And I have more issues with Crystal Skull. But I totally see where you are coming from, Goblin.

[Goblin19]

In your opinion.

Which is, after all, the only thing that any of us is giving. In my opinion, this is an unpleasant, ugly movie that missed the mark. Dark is Empire Strikes Back compared to Star Wars. This is closer to Saw being a sequel to Clue. The tone is completely wrong.

Feel free to disagree, but that doesn’t make a differing opinion incorrect.

And vilifying Nazis and Soviet era Russians isn’t quite the same, is it?

I also don’t like KISS, olives or licorice. Feel free to let me know why my opinion Is wrong.

[Liu Bei]

Lots of child abuse. A heart being ripped out of a chest. The foreigners eating chilled monkey brains and other gross things, because you know, that’s what savages do. To me that’s not dark, that’s ugly stuff.

It seemed to want to one up the over the top stuff from Raiders but did it with no sense of fun, other than the opening scene.

And, bear in mind, Raiders is one of my 2 favorite movies of all time.

It wasn’t foreign people, it was worshippers of Kali and the Thuggee cult. Temple of Doom didn’t vilify Indians any more than Raiders vilified Germans in Raiders or Crusade, or Russians in Crystal.

The ripping out of hearts and child slave labor was dark, but calling the film “mean and ugly” is overkill.

[Goblin19]

Lots of child abuse. A heart being ripped out of a chest. The foreigners eating chilled monkey brains and other gross things, because you know, that’s what savages do. To me that’s not dark, that’s ugly stuff.

It seemed to want to one up the over the top stuff from Raiders but did it with no sense of fun, other than the opening scene.

And, bear in mind, Raiders is one of my 2 favorite movies of all time.

[Liu Bei]

I somewhat agree. Never liked Temple of Doom, but don’t think it’s terrible. I do slightly prefer Crystal Skull. Temple of Doom is just so ugly and mean spirited.

How was TOD ugly or mean spirited? Dark, yes. Ugly and mean spirited? Never heard that take before. What makes you say that?

[Goblin19]

I somewhat agree. Never liked Temple of Doom, but don’t think it’s terrible. I do slightly prefer Crystal Skull. Temple of Doom is just so ugly and mean spirited.

[warlock664]

Temple of Doom is just an awful film. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull outdoes it in every way.

Oh wait, you’re serious?

[Bruce Banner]

Temple of Doom is just an awful film. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull outdoes it in every way.

"Are you trying to develop a sense of humour, or am I going deaf?"

[Liu Bei]

Temple of Doom is just an awful film. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull outdoes it in every way.

LOL. Okay.

[B-Lister]

Temple of Doom is just an awful film. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull outdoes it in every way.

[Bruce Banner]

I liked it because we got more of Marcus Brody.

We did, but they presented him as a buffoonish, comedy relief kind of character, which in my opinion did him a disservice.

[jwyblejr]

I know a lot of people cite Last Crusade as their favourite of the trilogy. I've never fully understood that.
To me, it always felt like "Indy lite", lacking the tough, two-fisted grit of Raiders and the wild, frenetic darkness of Temple of Doom.
A decidedly underwhelming third installment.
I guess people just loved Last Crusade's generally lighter tone and the father-son dynamic of Henry and Indy.

I liked it because we got more of Marcus Brody.

[Hector]

Living the dream!

[KnightDetective]

I don’t go to the movie theater anymore. I have a brand new awesome fiat screen with superior picture quality than the theater projection screen and 5.1 surround sound bar. My homemade popcorn is superior to the stale theater one…and my sodas are way colder with actual carbonation. No screaming kids, no crying infants, no rude people, no talking from annoying strangers, no weed smokers, no 7-footers sitting in front of you, no fighting for parking, etc.

Living the dream!

[Hector]

I’ll watch it when it’s streaming.

I don’t go to the movie theater anymore. I have a brand new awesome fiat screen with superior picture quality than the theater projection screen and 5.1 surround sound bar. My homemade popcorn is superior to the stale theater one…and my sodas are way colder with actual carbonation. No screaming kids, no crying infants, no rude people, no talking from annoying strangers, no weed smokers, no 7-footers sitting in front of you, no fighting for parking, etc.

Sorry, it’s a new world order…

I still support the movies. I’ll gladly fork out $20 to stream a brand new movie at home, I do it all the time, no problem.

P.S. I don’t care about critics either. I’m the one who decides if the movie is good or bad.