Raiders of the Lost Ark

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Raiders of the Lost Ark

PG

Released Jun 12, 1981

1h 55m

Adventure

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

156 Reviews

96%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler's agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo.

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Critics Consensus

Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.

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Tom Huddleston

Time Out

More spectacular and intricate action sequences may have been devised since, but it’s rare to find one with this level of bone-crunching realism and intensity.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 12, 2024

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Vincent Canby

New York Times

To get to the point immediately, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most deliriously funny, ingenious and stylish American adventure movies ever made.

May 4, 2023

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

[Raiders of the Lost Ark] grabs you in the first shot, hurtles you through a series of incredible adventures, and deposits you back in reality two hours later -- breathless, dizzy, wrung-out, and with a silly grin on your face.

Rated: 4/4

May 4, 2023

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Harrison Ford’s skill as an actor has often been mischaracterized thanks to his myriad blockbuster roles like Star Wars but he brings a certain effortless charm to this role, one that’s both brave and vulnerable.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 6, 2025

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M.V. Moorhead

Phoenix Magazine

Crisp and funny and filled with one unforgettable action set piece after another, yet also somehow unassuming. It truly feels like a vintage cliffhanger serial of the 1940s, directed by William Witney or some other master of the form.

May 1, 2025

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Harry Solomons

Loud and Clear Reviews

Cementing Steven Spielberg’s place as the greatest blockbuster director ever, Raiders of the Lost Ark well deserves its spot as the jewel of action cinema.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 8, 2025

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Jake P

This movie is instant classic due to memorable characters awesome action sequences, iconic score, amazing story, and excellent casting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

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Sol F

This isn't a nostalgia-based review, although I have seen this film a hundred times. But what strikes me as amazing, still, is the pace of the film (never a dull moment) and the dialogue. It's well filmed, well written, and well acted, although Karen Allen is a little raw, generally speaking. The practical effects and stunts still look good, with few exceptions, and the iconic moments have piled up over the years, obviously. It's still awesome to see it on the big screen any time I can, like I am age 10 again and again and again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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David C

One of the greatest films ever made. Hands down.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Bryan D

This movie is a classic and I wanted to see it in the theater where it was supposed to be seen. Highly recommend, thanks.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/18/25

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Spencer OReilly

Great movie, I love when theaters put older movies back on the big screen

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/16/25

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SavVy

Raiders is simply one of the greatest films ever made. If you've never seen it, I envy you, because I would love to be able to watch it for the first time again. There is nothing else like it and there never will be. A masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/16/25

Full Review

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Steven Spielberg

Director

Harrison Ford

Dr. Henry 'Indiana' Jones, Jr.

Karen Allen

Marion Ravenwood

Paul Freeman

Rene Belloq

Wolf Kahler

Dietrich

Ronald Lacey

Toht

Movieclips: Indiana Jones' Most Iconic Scenes

25:49

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - It Not the Years, It's the Mileage

2:13

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Truck Chase

2:13

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - The Boulder Chase

2:13

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Nazi Mechanic Fight

2:13

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Taking the Ark

2:12

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Sword vs. Gun

2:13

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Face Melting Power

2:12

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - The Well of Souls

2:01

Raiders of the Lost Ark: Official Clip - Top Secret

1:38

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Raiders of the Lost Ark: Trailer 1

2:13

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Synopsis

Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which is believed to still hold the Ten Commandments. Unfortunately, Hitler's agents are also after the ark. Indy and his ex-flame Marion escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo.

Director: Steven Spielberg
Producer: Frank Marshall
Screenwriter: Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm Ltd.
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 1981, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2012
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 28, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $248.2M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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