What we flagged
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Our take
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade follows Indy and his father as they race Nazis to a legendary prize. Chases, fights, and gunfire are frequent but rarely bloody, though a decaying villain and the dark final act turn grisly. Language is mild, romance is light, and period smoking appears. We put it at around 10 and up, with a parent nearby for children bothered by rats, traps, or supernatural scares.
Uplifting themes
At heart this is about a prickly father and son finally understanding each other, with loyalty and courage winning out over greed. The warmth between them gives the adventure real heart Indy is brave and quick-witted, and both Joneses learn to put family and doing right above the prize. A few characters are driven by greed, making a clear contrast The story threads in real history and legend, from 1930s Europe and the rise of the Nazis to Grail folklore and the work of archaeology. Curious kids may come away with questions
Story (may spoil tone)
In 1938, an art collector appeals to eminent archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones to embark on a search for the Holy Grail. Indy learns that a medieval historian has vanished while searching for it, and the missing man is his own father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr.. He sets out to rescue his father by following clues in the old man's notebook, which his father had mailed to him before he went missing. Indy arrives in Venice, where he enlists the help of a beautiful academic, Dr. Elsa Schneider, along with Marcus Brody and Sallah. Together they must stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life and taking over the world!
What we flagged
Details
Violence Fist fights, shootouts, and a tank battle make the action frequent. Peo…
Fist fights, shootouts, and a tank battle make the action frequent. People are hurt or killed, but the film rarely shows injuries in detail
Language Coarse language is very mild and occasional, limited to the odd damn an…
Coarse language is very mild and occasional, limited to the odd damn and hell in the heat of the action. Nothing stronger appears across the film
Sex / nudity Indy and a fellow academic share a romance with a kiss, and the story h…
Indy and a fellow academic share a romance with a kiss, and the story hints that she has been involved with both Indy and his father. It is all suggestion, with nothing shown
Drugs / alcohol There is period smoking and some social drinking in keeping with the 19…
There is period smoking and some social drinking in keeping with the 1930s setting. It sits in the background and never draws attention, just men with cigarettes and a drink
Frightening Rats fill the catacombs, booby traps threaten the group, and the finale…
Rats fill the catacombs, booby traps threaten the group, and the finale unfolds at a cliff edge. A villain's rapid ageing and collapse may be the most disturbing image for younger viewers
Child peril / abuse The opening follows a teenage Indy scrambling through a chase and a run…
The opening follows a teenage Indy scrambling through a chase and a run-in with treasure hunters, in and out of danger. He comes through fine, but a young character is briefly in the thick of it
Bullying / discrimination The Nazi villains bring a hateful historical backdrop, including a book…
The Nazi villains bring a hateful historical backdrop, including a book-burning rally. The film clearly presents them as villains
Gore / death / weapons Guns are used throughout and some deaths occur, with a little blood. Th…
Guns are used throughout and some deaths occur, with a little blood. The grisliest beat is the rapid-ageing death late on, which is brief but striking
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The heart of the film is a father and son repairing their bond. What did your family make of how they finally connect?
- The Nazis are the villains and there is a book-burning scene. How can that open a conversation about that history?
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
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