All the 'Indiana Jones' movies ranked from worst to best

Let's face it: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was always going to be at the bottom of the list. 

No, it's not quite as bad as you might remember, but it's not exactly good either.

It still has all the signature wit and action that comes with an "Indiana Jones" movie, but there is a lot of it that feels unbelievable — even for a franchise that investigates the supernatural. 

Indy surviving a nuclear blast by stuffing himself into a fridge is practically laughable, and don't even get us started on the alien plot twist in the climax.

"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is only kept upright by the impressive cast, including Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett, who clearly has a lot of fun chewing the scenery as Russian villain Irina Spalko.

It's also great to see Karen Allen reprise her role as Marion Ravenwood, and the dynamic she has with Indy all those years after "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is still just as palpable. Their relationship is arguably the best thing about the movie.

Shia LeBeouf as their son, Mutt Williams? Not so much.

1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Doom" might've been the second film starring Ford's titular archaeologist, but it's actually a prequel and takes place well before the events of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." 

It's a much darker affair, with the story including ritual sacrifice, mind control, child slaves, and monkey brains. Although it all works very well in the adventure, it feels much different  from "Raiders."

The dysfunctional family dynamic of Indy, Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw), and Short Round (Ke Huy Quan) also keeps things fresh and shows a different side to Ford's stoic hero.

Short Round in particular is the film's standout character, stealing every single scene that he's in. (Hey Disney, Ke Huy Quan is pretty big right now, how about a comeback?)

The main story about cult leader Mola Ram (Amrish Puri) wanting to overthrow the world with mystical Sankara stones only works on face value, and it doesn't have the same level of excitement or iconicity that the next two entries in our ranking have.

What's better than Harrison Ford returning to play Indiana Jones for a third time? If he's joined by James Bond himself, Sean Connery, as Indy's dad: Dr. Henry Jones Sr.

The atmosphere in these movies is arguably defined by which companions Indy has for each adventure, and there's something so cheekily brilliant about bringing Connery along for the ride.

The pair of them hit that father-son dynamic perfectly, with Jones Sr. criticizing Jones Jr.'s actions and the way he goes about racing against the Nazis for the Holy Grail. The scene where they're both tied to a chair back to back while a castle burns down around them is perfect. And that tank chase towards the Iskenderun temple? Incredible.

It's also great to get a glimpse of a young Indy, played by River Phoenix, in one of his early teenage adventures across a train while being pursued by crooks. We even get the origin behind his snake phobia!

At the time, this was the last chapter of the trilogy, and it was a perfect cap on the series. It's a rip-roaring adventure from start to finish that stays true to the heart of the franchise.

The top spot was always going to go to the first film: "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

The film's opening sequence in the Peruvian temple is one of the most iconic action scenes in cinema history, with Indy frantically running from a giant stone ball that threatens to squish him and his signature fedora. 

From there, it only gets more exciting as it introduces Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) as his love interest, as she's brought along for the adventure because she has a key piece of the puzzle in finding the Ark of the Covenant – which supposedly has mystical powers.

Unfortunately for this dynamic duo, the Nazis are also on the hunt for the Ark because Hitler wants to make his army unstoppable. Patrick Lacey delivers a sinister smile as the menacing Gestapo agent, Arnold Toht.

And the late star was immortalized in another truly iconic moment — as the Ark of the Covenant literally melts his face off in the dramatic climax. It's a stunning death, achieved with stop motion and practical effects. 

And come on, who doesn't have a grin on their face hearing that theme by John Williams?