You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris? … A Royale with Cheese.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
That Quentin Tarantino line, delivered by Vincent (John Travolta) to Jules (Samuel L Jackson) always makes me smile. It’s a reminder that perspective changes everything. And when it comes to Tarantino’s take on the Indiana Jones films, his perspective has once again startled Hollywood fans.
Before I get into it, here are the blunt facts of his hot take:
- Tarantino calls Temple of Doom the best Indiana Jones film.
- He praises its darker tone and groundbreaking PG-13 legacy.
- He says The Last Crusade is “boring” – yes, the beloved Connery-Ford pairing.
- He ranks Kingdom of the Crystal Skull above Crusade.
As a bit of an Indy fan, when I first heard his views on the Reel Blend podcast, I was a little taken aback. But he had his reasons.
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Why does Tarantino rate Temple of Doom so highly?
Most fans agree that Raiders of the Lost Ark set the gold standard. Yet Tarantino has a soft spot for the more divisive sequel, Temple of Doom. He admires Steven Spielberg’s willingness to take risks in 1984, making a darker, wilder story that forced the MPAA to create the PG-13 rating.
“The movie is so badass it created a new level in the MPAA,” Tarantino said, noting that even Brian De Palma never managed such an impact. He also singled out the elaborate opening nightclub sequence, with its musical flair, as far more ambitious than the “boulder moment” in Raiders.
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Why does he call The Last Crusade “boring”?
Here’s where the director lost me. Tarantino dismissed The Last Crusade – often a fan favorite – as “boring,” claiming Sean Connery’s father-son shtick wore thin almost instantly. Maybe I was just so pleased to see the Scotsman involved!
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More surprisingly, he said he prefers Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, long mocked for its overblown CGI and fridge-nuking antics. To him, Crusade was too safe, a replay of what worked in Raiders without fresh invention.
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Fans, of course, will disagree. But Tarantino doesn’t really seem to care about consensus. His comments highlight why Indy’s adventures remain endlessly debatable four decades on.
For me, I’ll keep Crusade close to my heart. But I’ll also admit that Temple of Doom really does swing harder than I used to give it credit for. Thanks for the insight, Quentin.
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