Content of this sort would be considered quite tame by today's standards but in 1984 I have to say that this movie was very shocking to me and perhaps even a bit traumatizing (in that the graphic nature of it game me nightmares - but i was really young.)

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It should come as no surprise that after the success of Raiders of the Lost Arc that this sequel was going to be extremely popular upon its release and it certainly was that. It managed to make back its $28 million dollar budget over the very first weekend of release and would go on to make more than $300 million which is probably chump change for anyone making a Marvel movie today but it was a very big deal and almost unheard of back in the early 80's.

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The movie is another combination of Indiana being able to pull off preposterous scenarios normally without so much as a scratch all in the name of retrieving items for the good of the archaeological world and never for personal gain. There is plenty of action as well as comedy relief, which is a staple of the franchise (as I would imagine most people know.) The film did have some issues and there were a number of problems that this film would face as it was considered by many to be too graphic for a PG-13 film.

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This guy in the cage gets sacrificed in a very extreme and impressively graphic (for the time period) way. There are also other deaths in the film that were considered by many to warrant an "R" rating. I don't have an opinion because I don't know how the rating systems work but I know that Spielberg blockbusters try extremely hard to avoid "R" ratings because they also want to tap the lucrative market that is children not only for ticket sales but also for merchandising.

The film also caught some flak from early generation SJW's for the depiction of Indian cuisine as being almost entirely disgusting and grotesque.

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The dinner, in my mind, was very disturbing (and that was the intention.) However, some people took it too literally as if Spielberg was actually attempting to suggest that people in India eat giant bugs and monkey brains and I think it is absurd for anyone to believe that but whatever. Some people need a battle to fight.

There was also some controversy surrounding the depiction of a Hindu goddess in an incorrect light but I am not going to get involved in that because I know nothing about Hinduism and I don't remember the details. I suppose I can relate to this camp much more than the people who thought the film was trying to suggest that Indians eat monkey brains - which only a lunatic would believe. The film was temporarily banned in India as a consequence.

While I too agree this is not as good as the movie that proceeded it or followed it in the series, it is still far better than most other action films of the time and is still a great roller-coaster ride when watched today. Most critics looked upon it favorably but even Spielberg agrees that this is his least favorite of the original trilogy. Overall, this movie is a piece of history and really should be watched, despite the negative press.