This is a great film...what's wrong with you people?
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one on earth that thinks this is a good movie. I've always liked it a lot, and I'm not really sure why so many diss this film. It's a hell of a lot darker than the first one, in fact REALLY dark. The scenes in the "temple of doom" are very intense, especially for their time (the controversy this film engineered made the MPAA invent the PG-13 rating). But the film has even more stunts than the first film (and a lot of them are awesome). I especially like the mining car chase (even though it's a little hard to believe at times, even in escapist cinema like this one). The "dinner" scene could give current reality TV shows (where people eat disgusting things) a run for its money. It's a very memorable film, although it's may be too intense for very young children.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a very good film. Ford is excellent as usual, Kate Capshaw (the future Mrs. Spielberg) is kooky and kind of endearing, and Short Round is a decent kid sidekick (at least you don't want Indy to throw under the tracks or anything like that). Spielberg's direction is excellent as usual, and I haven't heard people complaining about this one like they have about the latest entry. This is a film that should be revisited.

A Dark Indy Adventure
A prequel to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM follows Indiana from China and through India as he attempts to get back to civilization. After being double-crossed by Chinese gangster, Lao Che (Roy Chiao) in a nightclub, Indiana (Harrison Ford), nightclub singer Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw), and young sidekick Short Round (Jonathan Ke Quan) find themselves on the run and flying over India. Left to die in a crashing plane, the trio escapes and eventually find themselves in a small Indian village. The crops are dying and the people are weeping in mourning. The village leader tells the visitors that the reason for their trouble is because the ancient cult of Thuggee has been revived. The Thuggees have stolen the village's Shiva lingam, a stone that Indiana comes to believe might be one of the Shankara stones, and have kidnapped all of their children. The village elder claims that the Thuggees are headquartered not far away in Pankot Palace. He believes that Indiana Jones and his friends have been sent from some higher power to help them. The village elders agree to take Indy and his friends to Delhi, but only if they first go to Pankot Palace. Indy agrees, more out of curiosity and the chance for "fortune and glory" than anything else. A disgusting meal, a horrible death, and a mine car chase all follow.

Most viewers find INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF JONES their least favorite Indiana Jones movie. That's not to say that ToD is a bad movie because it's not. ToD is filled with action and memorable scenes, e.g. the nightclub scene, the dinner scene, the sacrifice, the mine car chase, et al. There are all kinds of witty one-liners. I really enjoyed the character development we see in Indy through the movie, especially in his relationship with Short Round. Also, the acting is really well done from star Harrison Ford to Amrish Puri as villain Mola Ram to the small bit parts and cameos such as Dan Akroyd.

With so much good stuff in it one may wonder why ToD is one of the least-liked parts of the Indiana Jones saga. I think the reason for this is because of the shock factor of certain elements of the movie e.g. Mola Ram ripping a man's heart out of his chest while it is still beating or the special dessert of monkey brains at the dinner. These scenes are memorable, but they are completely unnecessary to the film. The dinner scene is just as funny and disgusting without the monkey brains in it. The sacrifice scene is just as horrifying without seeing the beating heart being ripped out of the victim's chest. These scenes and others like them made ToD more violent and scary than it needed to be. Scenes like these in the movie turned away many parents and brought rounds of protest when the film was originally in theatres. In fact it is because of ToD and GREMLINS (two movies that Steven Spielberg was associated with) that the PG-13 rating came to be (both of these movies would have been rated R if it hadn't been for Spielberg's association with them). Parents and other adults complained they were too violent for children, but children were the prime targets for the film.

I like INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. There were parts of it that frightened me a great deal when I first saw it as a child. However, over the years the film has grown on me. I understand now some of the reasoning for having such a dark episode in the saga. People can become lost in redemption, but they can also find salvation and illumination, something explored in depth in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE.

A Tomb Raider Becomes A Hero
I'm still surprised by the hate this film receives. Even by Director Spielberg himself. I've always considered Temple Of Doom the second best Indiana Jones film. In fact I've always felt the series always lost a little bit of steam with each film. But even with such an annoying character like Willie Scott (Played by Cate Kapshaw) I've always felt Temple Of Doom did a brilliant job showing Indiana Jones as a character turn from tomb raiding archaeologist, into the great hero we saw in Raiders Of The Lost Ark. I'm also surprised by how many people still don't realize that Temple Of Doom is a prequel. Anyways...

During the first half of the film, Indy talks about "fortune and glory" as his reason for his adventures. As we already know from Raiders, he didn't find the Ark, then risk his life getting it back from the Nazi's for just "fortune and glory". He didn't have to do what he did in Raiders. But he did it because he had the courage, and it was the right thing to do. In Temple Of Doom, Indy seems more rugged towards the other characters. He seems to always be in "If you can't help me, don't talk to me" type of mood. Like a more savvy Humphrey Bogart from *The Treasure of the Sierra Madre* (Which was one of the main inspirations for Raiders)

By the end of the film though, he realizes the greatest thing was not finding the treasure or fortune. But replacing balance and happiness to a small Hindu town. Maybe thats why many people were turned off upon it's initial release; The character they loved in Raiders didn't really show up till mid way.

Another aspect I loved was the father/son type friendship Indy had with Short Round. And during one of the key scenes, Short Round says "I love you". Which in turn brings Indy back to the "good" side (I'm assuming everyone's seen the film) It's this scene where Indy goes the furthest he could possibly go in the dark side. He goes so far that he was willing to kill Short Round. Directly after this scene is when Indy "becomes" a hero for the sake of helping people and doing good. He goes from one side of the spectrum to the complete opposite.

Because I'm assuming most have seen this. I don't really have to say how great the action was. The ending bridge scene always keeps me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I watch it. It's truly a classic moment.

I really hope people give Temple Of Doom another shot. Indiana Jones is a pulp adventure hero. I've always felt Temple Of Doom portrays this the best. Indy is not a religious character, his sole job is not to search for just well known Hebrew/Christian artifacts like some people tend to believe (Just look at the reaction from some for Indy 4, and the Crystal Skulls) The artifacts, though important, aren't the main aspects of the films. They've always been chosen to fit the story they're trying to tell with the characters. So far it's worked out great for all 4 films.

The DVD by the way looks fantastic. Since Doom mostly takes place in the jungles and caves of India, it's always been a pleasure to view. The remastering they did is nearly perfect. Here's hoping for a Blu-ray release! If you want the amazing special features though. Get the 4 disc box set with the feature length documentaries on disc 4.

The Darkest Indiana Jones Adventure!!!
I like that The Temple of Doom is dark, gloomy, depressing, and etc. Somehow, this takes place before the original. Indy, Willie, and Short Round must retrieve a sacred stone that's been stolen from a village, and must save the children that have been stolen. They deal with an evil cult and sacrifices people and make people drink black blood to become on of them! I also love the scene at Pankot Palace when everyone is eating Snake Surprise, Beetles, Eyeball Soup, and Chilled Monkey Brains! If you love Indy and dark plots, you'll love INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM!!!

Actually, I'd give ****1/2 stars.
Great movie. I don't why but this is a prequel for some reason. It's not like Star Wars, It is not a series of prequels it's just a one movie deal. It takes place in 1935, one year before the first one took place. Well, I knew this wouldn't be as good as Raiders of the Lost Ark, but that's not to say that it's bad, it's amazing. I heard reviews saying it was racist but no, it's not. It is a good sequel or prequel, so see Raiders and see this any time soon.