Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

In 1936, a U.S. archeologist looks for the Biblical covenant ark which is supposed to have extraordinary powers. The Nazis are looking for it too.

This is my second or third viewing. I am a little amazed that I used to admire this film. It is not extraordinary in any way. It is competently directed, but its screenplay leaves a lot to be desired. And what does the climactic scene (where, in order to survive, Jones and his girlfriend avoid looking at the ark's visual projections) tell us about the film's stance toward itself?

Rating: 52 (down from 75).