Mola Ram is a better villain than Belloq.

[Henry B 49]

Austrian, Shmaustrian. It's been a while since I took a history course, so I tend to think that Germany and Austria are identical.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

I would argue that Mola Ram certainly has better accompanying music than Belloq.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

they both challanged Indy is interesting ways, actually Indy was the bane to Belloq

Or his foil. Isn't your "bane" someone who actually defeats you, while a foil is your shadowy reflection who defines you through their differences?

I always thought he was a source of ruin, but still in a round about way Indy always wins, how bout this he was like a bad penny

[AC1 3,565]

That Mola Ram character truly is one of the worst villains of cinema. There was no suspenseful buildup. He had no profile. Suddenly, he was there, pulling hearts out of people's chests. He's not even a character. Ridiculous.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

That Mola Ram character truly is one of the worst villains of cinema. There was no suspenseful buildup. He had no profile. Suddenly, he was there, pulling hearts out of people's chests. He's not even a character. Ridiculous.

I can't see too well due to the vicious eye-rolling I just experienced . . . hopefully, I'm typing words and not gobbledygook.

[Quintus 5,391]

That Mola Ram character truly is one of the worst villains of cinema. There was no suspenseful buildup. He had no profile. Suddenly, he was there, pulling hearts out of people's chests. He's not even a character. Ridiculous.

You don't believe me, Alex? You will, Alex. You will become a true believer.

[AC1 3,565]

Nostalgia! That's what it is! It's fortunate that the world has real villains like me.

[Hitch 55]

Austrian, Shmaustrian. It's been a while since I took a history course, so I tend to think that Germany and Austria are identical.

Americans really don't have a clue when it comes to geography.

[claesgrufman 0]

My take (in my adult years) on RAIDERS is that Indy and Belloq are really two sides of the same coin; they both take little time to think about the moral implications of their actions. The only real difference is who they choose to side with, but then remember this film is set in 1936, before the Nazis had committed the atrocities for which they would eventually be remembered. Regarded independently of the sequels, who is to say Indy is better than Belloq? They are both avaricious and unscrupulous, they steal each other's artefacts (none of which are theirs to take) and don't seem to care whether most people live or die. Indy, for example, does not hesitate to shoot a complete stranger in the street just because he wields a sword at him for five seconds. Belloq at least gives Indy a chance (to run away from natives or escape from a tomb) whenever he leaves his nemesis for dead. In the end, the only redeeming characteristic of Indy is that he is humble before that which is greater than him whereas Belloq is not.

That said, I think RAIDERS is only "complete" film of the franchise. It's a little ballsy in that Indy is morally shady, but the sequels would diminish this facet of the character. The antagonist has real motives and is actually a real relatable character, whereas in the sequels they are more cartoony in their evilness. Nothing wrong with that though, it's all good fun, just like Dietrich and Toht were as secondary villains in the first film. As a side note, the film also benefits from not containing the words "Indiana Jones" in its title, giving the viewer the option of not taking the protagonist's good motives for granted.

The true villain of RAIDERS, however, is the Ark.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

The true villain of RAIDERS, however, is the Ark.

Would you care to explain, before you are struck down for blaspheme?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,765]

The true villain of RAIDERS, however, is the Ark.

Intriguing statement. I vont to know more!

[Hitch 55]

Someones been skipping Sunday school again!

[claesgrufman 0]

The true villain of RAIDERS, however, is the Ark.

This viewpoint is just my opinion and is related to how I have come to appreciate RAIDERS as a stand-alone film. Once again disregarding the rest of the franchise, in RAIDERS the Ark is narratively presented much like a human character, with its own history, motives and (ultimately) actions. Characters develop relationships to it, which it in turn responds to. It remains a mysterious entity throughout, and reveals its true nature at the end of the film: immense power coupled with merciless destruction, but not without a sense of right and wrong. Other memorable movie villains have shown the same qualities; Keyser Soze of "The Usual Suspects" comes to mind. Seen from this perspective, the film becomes a love triangle of sorts between the object of desire that serves as catalyst of events (the Ark) and those who seek it (Indy and Belloq + their respective sidekicks). The "Raiders" become the protagonists (though all are not necessarily heroes) and the Ark becomes the villain.

This approach also works for the music. Unlike the human villains in RAIDERS, represented by the fanfare-like Nazi motif, the Ark is given a rich musical foundation steeped in old-testament grandeur. (A similar analysis can be made in the Star Wars saga when comparing the brief and impersonal Imperial Motif to the endlessly more developed and versatile Imperial March.) From the subtle introduction to the revelational finale, the Ark is provided with a musical story that keeps telling more than it is showing. Through Williams' score we understand that the Ark is otherworldly, but the theme is never given a satisfying conclusion until the climax, musically keeping the audience in the dark about the full measure of its powers. The final warehouse scene provides a fittingly ambiguous coda for the Ark, narratively as well as musically, in a way reinforcing it as the titular character. The others are just, as the title suggests, raiders - morally bankrupt, consumed by greed and blinded by power. The Ark destroys them all except one who redeems himself at the very last second. (Oh, that's right, his girlfriend did too so she is also spared.) It's no coincidence that the theme we all associate with Indiana Jones' character is named "Raiders March" and not "Indy's theme" or something similar.

So that's my explanation, I hope that clears things up a bit. I would like to add that I do not dislike the other films (with the exception of KOTCS which I have not yet seen and thus have no opinion of). I do watch them from time to time, in which case I always enjoy them, however, the "artefact as villain" argument is not really applicable to them because they lack a well-rounded antagonistic character such as Belloq to balance Indy. That and they don't have "Raiders" in the title.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

Destroying evil is not what I would call "villainous". As for the gruesome deaths of the Nazis: it is not uncommon knowledge that God uses a bazooka to clean dirty floors (read "Revelation". Oh wait. Maybe I should stop before I get suspended.)

[claesgrufman 0]

Destroying evil is not what I would call "villainous".

A valid point, but in my initial post I suggested that Belloq and Indy are very similar characters. Central to understanding this is Belloq's line: "Men will kill for it [the Ark], men like you and me." Indy may not be evil, but is he good? If the Ark destroys evil, then yes, Indy is good. But I argue that Indy is neither good nor evil, nor is Belloq. Both want the same thing equally badly, and both will resort to extreme measures (sabotage, murder etc.) to secure it. Meanwhile, the Ark sits away, quietly monitoring the proceedings, awaiting just the right moment to blow everyone sky-high. Pretty cold if you ask me.

So why does the Ark only destroy one of them if neither is good nor evil? Because the Ark does not destroy evil, it destroys those who are not humbled by the power of God and who seek it for their own gain. From a narrative point of view, the Nazis are merely a convenient storytelling device in that they serve as an ally to the antagonist Belloq and the audience gets somebody to dislike from the outset. However, as I said earlier, the film is set in 1936, and the Nazis had not yet shown their true colours to the world (they were actually busy hosting the Olympics). The audience knows the Nazis are bad, but how would Belloq know that? Even to Indy, the Nazis are just obstacles between him and the Ark, not future facilitators of genocide.

Once you start looking behind the whole black-and-white/good-vs-evil aspect of the Hollywood formula and start questioning Indy and Belloq as purely good or evil characters, the film offers a surprisingly multilayered piece of storytelling that actually holds together. This is precisely what I have come to enjoy about RAIDERS in recent years.

Again, I am disregarding the sequels in this discussion. And yes, now it starts to feel like I've overanalyzed a fine piece of blockbuster entertainment.

[Nick Parker 3,017]

I understand what you are saying about Indiana Jones and Belloq, but I thought we were discussing the Ark of the Covenant itself. Also, what you wrote makes the Ark appear as a diabolical mastermind. There is no power in the Ark itself. It is merely a very fancy box. And then God enters the equation....

[claesgrufman 0]

I understand what you are saying about Indiana Jones and Belloq, but I thought we were discussing the Ark of the Covenant itself.

We are, but my argument hinges on the fact that Indy and Belloq are morally near-identical characters pursuing the same artefact. Had Belloq's character been more evil, or had Indy been played by James Stewart, I could never have formulated this viewpoint. I felt I needed to be clear on this in my previous posts.

Also, what you wrote makes the Ark appear as a diabolical mastermind. There is no power in the Ark itself. It is merely a very fancy box. And then God enters the equation....

So that would by extension imply that God is the real villain in RAIDERS, but even I wouldn't want to push for that.

I certainly don't see the Ark as a diabolical mastermind, but we must remember who it works for: the Old Testament God, who will release floods and wipe out entire populations. However, I'm not one for further discussing theology in this forum, so I'll just leave it at that. Let me just say that it's not up to me to convince anyone, like I said it's just my opinion and I will explain it if asked. I should also clarify that this little theory is something I have developed in addition to my initial appreciation I've had of RAIDERS ever since I was a kid, where Indy is the hero and Belloq and the Nazis are the villains. I think it makes repeated viewing of the film much more interesting.