--- title: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 14 reviews: 12 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and nearly all of them like it for the same reason. Sean Connery as Henry Jones Sr, bickering with Harrison Ford’s Indy, is named as the film’s chief pleasure in almost every review, credited with giving the adventure a heart the series had not shown before. Several call it a return to form after Temple of Doom and a fitting close to the trilogy. The Venice catacombs, the desert tank chase and the River Phoenix prologue also draw regular praise. The reservations cluster on familiarity. A number of reviews note that the film reruns the shape of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and a few think it does so with less energy. The New Yorker finds it enjoyable but repetitive, Slant Magazine calls it a solid, transitional entry short on dynamism, and the Los Angeles Times suggests the genre itself is running down. The spread is narrow: no review is negative, and even the doubters concede the Connery-Ford double act. ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 5/5. The series is restored to form after Temple of Doom thanks to the inspired pairing of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery as father and son. Spielberg delivers epic-scale action with panache, highlighted by the young Indy prologue featuring River Phoenix. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-gqnuht/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade/) ## The New York Times — Caryn James Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 May 1989. The review finds the film nearly as good as the first in the series and a strong finale, with the father-son pairing providing resonance and depth. It singles out Sean Connery’s presence for giving the adventure emotional shading and turning it into an ultimate quest story. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1989/05/24/movies/review-film-indiana-jones-in-pursuit-of-dad-and-the-grail.html) ## Empire — Bob McCabe Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The film is the most entertaining entry in the series and a fitting end to the Indy trilogy, though it does not quite match Raiders. The standout element is the interplay and chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery as father and son. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/indiana-jones-last-crusade-review/) ## Evening Standard — William Mata Rating 4/5. 12 March 2024. The critic praises Sean Connery's perfect portrayal of Henry Jones Sr as both a genius archaeologist and bumbling dad, highlighting the strong odd-couple chemistry with Indiana Jones and the satisfying conclusion to the original trilogy. They single out Connery as the standout element everyone remembers, noting the film's cheesy but enjoyable family-oriented adventures and River Phoenix's cameo. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/indiana-jones-films-ranked-harrison-ford-b1091051.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 May 1989. The critic finds delight in the film's pulp-adventure spirit and set pieces like the Venice catacombs and desert tank chase, while praising Sean Connery's turn as Indy's father and Harrison Ford's easy charisma. A shade of disappointment stems from the material no longer feeling new after Raiders of the Lost Ark. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-1989) ## Time Out — CM Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). The film recaptures the spirit of Raiders of the Lost Ark with its action set pieces and globe-trotting adventure. The standout element is Sean Connery as Indy's father, whose sparring relationship with Harrison Ford provides the emotional core and prevents the movie feeling like pure déjà vu. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/london/film/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade) ## Variety — Joseph McBride Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 May 1989. The review calls it more cerebral than prior entries and a moving, literate adventure with unexpected emotional depth. It singles out the Harrison Ford-Sean Connery father-and-son team for giving the film real heart and a touching finale. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-1200428090/) ## Los Angeles Times — Sheila Benson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 May 1989. The review says Indiana quits at the top of the heap even as the genre feels mechanical and on the wane. It singles out the Harrison Ford-Sean Connery father-son chemistry for delivering affection and acerbic moments amid the action. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-05-24-ca-434-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Jeremiah Kipp Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2008. The critic finds the film a solid but transitional effort lacking the energy of predecessors, praising the father-son dynamic between Indy and his dad. They single out the chemistry between Ford and Connery for praise while complaining about overkill in the prologue and lack of dynamism. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade/) ## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 5 June 1989. The review calls the film enjoyable but a familiar, repetitive rehash that lacks the original thrill of earlier entries. It singles out the Connery-Ford father-son interplay and clowning for providing the main spark and personality. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1989/06/12/capsule) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 August 2007. The critic praises the film as a rollicking good ride and near-perfect cinematic adventure with superb pacing, thrilling soundtrack, and charismatic performances, especially from Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. She singles out the stunning locations like ancient Petra and the emotional father-son relationship for praise while noting it can feel too twee in its references to earlier films. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) ## Film Stories — A J Black Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2023. The critic argues that Last Crusade is the most elegant Indiana Jones film, praising its inter-generational father-son story and emotional heart. They single out the chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery, and the script's wit and set pieces, as making it a standout with the biggest heart in the series. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/features/indiana-jones-revisited-its-time-for-indiana-jones-the-last-crusade/) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2014. The critic finds the film the lightest and funniest in the series, with the father-son dynamic between Indy and Henry Jones Sr. as its standout strength and a source of comedy and emotional depth. The action and humor entertain greatly overall, though it falls short of Raiders of the Lost Ark in narrative tightness and control. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/revisiting-indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade/) ## The Ringer — Adam Nayman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 7 January 2019. The critic views the film as a sweet, reassuring entry that adds a father-son origin story with Sean Connery, making it the most emotionally grounded of the series. He praises the literal ride-into-the-sunset ending while noting it functions as a near-remake of the first film with fewer standout villains. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2019/01/07/movies/indiana-jones-raiders-of-the-lost-ark-spielberg-netflix) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/indiana-jones-and-the-last-crusade.md