Quentin Tarantino is known for his bold takes, but you may not be prepared for his views on the Indiana Jones movies. Tarantino became one of the defining filmmaking voices of the 1990s with his subversive and original movies, like Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, building on established genre elements but exploring new storytelling techniques.

Tarantino’s approach largely comes from the fact that he is a student of cinema, with a wide knowledge of movies of all types. As such, he has developed a unique taste in movies that sometimes differs from general opinions. This has included Tarantino praising Joker: Folie à Deux despite the negative critical reception.

Of course, he also doesn’t hold back in being critical of perceived classics, including his dislike of Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. However, when it comes to one of the beloved movie franchises of all time, Tarantino’s opinions on the best and worst entries are certainly not shared by everyone.

Tarantino Calls Temple Of Doom The Best Indiana Jones Movie

While the Indiana Jones movie series is often viewed as a franchise that peaked with the first outing, Quentin Tarantino actually prefers Indy’s second, more controversial adventure. On the Reel Blend podcast, Tarantino dropped his bold opinions on the movies, naming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as the best of the franchise.

He also suggested it has the best opening sequence of all the Indiana Jones movies, saying Raiders of the Lost Ark’s first scene comes down to the iconic boulder moment and not much else. However, Tarantino’s real admiration for Temple of Doom comes from director Steven Spielberg taking real chances:

[Spielberg] was full of p*** and gauge, alright, on the case of back-to-back Jaws and Close Encounters, now he figures he could do no wrong, pushes the envelope, creates PG-13! The movie is so f****** bada**, it created a new level in the MPAA! Something Brian De Palma’s never been able to do as much as he’s tried!

Indeed, Temple of Doom was a much darker and more violent movie, which pushed the boundaries of the PG rating. It also caused considerable controversy for its depiction of India. While it is seen as a solid sequel, few fans consider it the best of the franchise.

While it is difficult to argue that any of the Indiana Jones movies top Raiders of the Lost Ark, Tarantino does have a point with Temple of Doom. It is the movie in the series that really stands out as Spielberg pushing the envelope and being a little dangerous, even if it doesn’t always work.

It is also true that the opening nightclub sequence of Temple of Doom is a fantastic set piece, featuring a song and dance element as a sign of Spielberg’s ambitious approach.

Tarantino Called The Last Crusade “Boring” And Liked Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull More

Even more surprising than Tarantino’s favorite Indiana Jones movie are the sequels that he dislikes the most. While Tarantino’s appearance on the Reel Blend podcast was before the release of the final Indiana Jones adventure, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, among the Spielberg-directed movies, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is his least favorite:

That’s such a boring one. It’s boring! And [Sean Connery as Henry Jones Sr. is] not an interesting character. The joke is made immediately. It’s like “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.”

Tarantino admits that he prefers the much-maligned Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to The Last Crusade. Considering why he likes Temple of Doom so much, it is not surprising that he doesn’t have much love for the safer third movie, which leans into what worked with the original.

However, even with the jokey nature of Sean Connery’s Henry Jones Sr. and the familiar plot, The Last Crusade delivers some more terrific set pieces that are far superior to the overblown CGI antics of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Regardless, Tarantino’s views highlight how the Indiana Jones franchise has remained so popular for so many decades.