# How scary is Indy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760 "2008-05-18T17:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/21 "2008-05-20T19:48:38Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Slit] Yeah, I was going to say…don’t you pretty much always assume in every situation that he’s going to get out okay? unless you’re a very small child or something. [/QUOTE] There is a difference between knowing intellectually that the protagonist is going to escape (after all, the film is named after him) and the action being so rote and contrived that it is obvious that he is not in any danger. In _Raiders of the Lost Ark_, the action sequences are awesome and frightful, even when they’re practically absurd; Ford looks terrified that he’s going to be killed when he’s hanging off the front of the truck, or when he’s running from the boulder in the opening sequence, and it keeps the audience clutching the armrests. On the other hand, in _Temple of Doom_, he never manages to look more than mildly distressed at, say, having to jump out of an airplane without a parachute or escape his pursuers in a bizarrely routed ore cart, which is one of the many things that sunk that film. From what I’ve seen of \*Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the action sequences are so limp and without suspense that they might as well have just inserted a cue card saying, “Generic Action Sequence Here”. We know that the protagonist isn’t going to be killed, but at least he or she should look like they believe that they might be killed. If he’s in on the gag that he is irreplaceable then there is no tension or suspense; he might as well turn to the audience and start narrating through the fourth wall. [QUOTE=Simplicio] Lucas…really needs to stop doing this. [/QUOTE] Yeah, he and Coppola both need to stop making movies. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/22 "2008-05-20T20:10:43Z")
[QUOTE=InvisibleWombat] [grouchy digression] Not to specifically pick on you, **ArchiveGuy** , but you’re the straw that broke the camel’s back. WHY do so many Dopers do this? Can’t you just type “The Mummy” as the link text instead of being coy and euphemistic and saying “this film”? Then I wouldn’t have had to follow your link to see your point. I get tired of reading threads full of replies that say “[Another source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/) disagrees” or “My [cite](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/) has different information” or “what about [this](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/)?” or sometimes even just “[no](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/).” Please, oh please, provide some hint of information about what your link is. We now return you to your regularly-scheduled thread. [/grouchy digression] [/QUOTE] I did it for the benefit of those people who wanted to have a spoiler-free discussion of the new movie. If one person wanted to know as little about the film as possible (even to the point of what it might be “likened to”), they would be perfectly free to not click on the link and stay comfortably in the dark. For another who did want to know more, they could click on the link at their own (albeit incredibly mild) “peril”. So congratulations! What I tried to do out of courtesy you managed to completely negate out of grumpiness! ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/23 "2008-05-20T20:44:48Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] I did it for the benefit of those people who wanted to have a spoiler-free discussion of the new movie. If one person wanted to know as little about the film as possible (even to the point of what it might be “likened to”), they would be perfectly free to not click on the link and stay comfortably in the dark. For another who did want to know more, they could click on the link at their own (albeit incredibly mild) “peril”. So congratulations! What I tried to do out of courtesy you managed to completely negate out of grumpiness! [/QUOTE] I’m with **InvisibleWombat** on this one. That “one person” you mention sounds too spoiler averse even to be reading this thread. How, even in theory, could the OP “How scary is Indy?” be answered without saying what it might be “likened to”? So, in deference to this “one person”, who is basically theoretically impossible, you annoy everyone who has to click your link, while squinting at the status bar to make sure they aren’t being Rickrolled, to know what you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/24 "2008-05-21T01:29:29Z")
Okay, I’m back from the afternoon screening. I’m not going to comment on the quality of the movie at all; I’ll save that for a different thread. This is merely my opinion of the film’s suitability for a younger viewer. [QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] I’ve seen it and largely agree. There’s no death in this film as “graphic” as what was seen in _Raiders_ or _Temple_. [/quote] This is on the mark. I’d say it’s _perfect_ for a well-adjusted 10-year-old. The worst violence:[spoiler] **1.** A group of soldiers gets set aflame when a rocket engine goes off in their faces. We see their upper bodies dissolving in the fiery blast for three or four seconds. **2.** A huge swarm of army ants devours at least two people. We see the ants streaming up the body of the first one; he falls into the swarm and we see his struggling ant-covered body disappearing. The other, we see a closeup of his screaming face as ants fill his mouth, and then he’s carried by the ants into their hive. Neither death has any blood, but bug-sensitive viewers will definitely be creeped out. **3.** In two separate scenes, large groups of people are machine-gunned to death. They’re shot off-screen; we don’t see the bullets hitting their bodies. However, we do see their corpses afterwards. **Plus assorted** punching, swordplay, a couple of bad guys falling off a cliff into a river, and general mayhem. Overall, there’s a body count of, I’d guess, seventy or eighty, but very little blood and nothing I would describe as gore.[/spoiler]I think that covers it. Any questions? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/25 "2008-05-21T02:05:04Z")
[QUOTE=Tyrrell McAllister] I’m with **InvisibleWombat** on this one. That “one person” you mention sounds too spoiler averse even to be reading this thread. How, even in theory, could the OP “How scary is Indy?” be answered without saying what it might be “likened to”? [/QUOTE] Yeah. That’s way to cautious. Spoilers generally refer to plot points and not comparable levels of violence in two unrelated movies. Especially in a thread that’s asking about the level of violence. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/26 "2008-05-21T09:23:39Z")
Thank you **shefDave** for the link and **Cervaise** for reporting back. Everyone’s input is appreciated. So the party’s on. Last year for Pirates of the Caribbean, we had one refuse to come and one who had nightmares. Two out of fifteeen’s not bad. Thank god my daughter likes easy movie parties. Throw some pizza and popcorn at them and let them sit for 2 hours. Her twin sister on the other hand likes sleepovers that feel like they last for days ☹ …and there was even a fight on my first thread…cool. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/27 "2008-05-21T15:03:57Z")
_sidles in_ So you guys have seen it already? It’s just that. Um. I’ve got a fifty-dollar bet riding with a friend that Indiana doesn’t die in the upcoming movie… …am I going to collect? _bites nails_ ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/28 "2008-05-21T15:09:35Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] It’s just that. Um. I’ve got a fifty-dollar bet riding with a friend that Indiana doesn’t die in the upcoming movie… [/QUOTE] I think you’ll be fine. In the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Indy lives to be something like 102 years old. While I’m not sure how “canon” that is, I’m sure Indy will live a long and happy life after the Crystal Skulls. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/29 "2008-05-21T16:45:09Z")
We are taking five kids from the boys’ class out of school early to see the noon showing on Friday. The teacher’s cool with it- she figures she might only have a couple of kids left, considering the holiday weekend! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/30 "2008-05-21T16:48:26Z")
I honestly thought the OP was asking about the Indianapolis 500. I finally figured it out after seeing a review of the movie yesterday on Inside Edition. Yeah, I’m in the loop. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/31 "2008-05-21T17:22:16Z")
[QUOTE=kbear] That would have been my choice but it doesn’t open until June 26th here in the UK. [/QUOTE] I think you’ll find it opens on May 22nd ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/32 "2008-05-21T22:49:14Z")
[QUOTE=kbear] Has anyone been to an advance screening of Indiana Jones? My daughter is desperate to invite her class for her 10th birthday. I have to send out the invitations before the movie comes out and I’m not sure it’s going to be appropriate for some of them. I took my kids to see Iron Man last night, which is rated the same (12A) and it was just a bit too much for them. Harry Potter is also rated 12A but nowhere near as scary as Iron Man was. This rating seems to have a pretty wide range…you never have to worry about sex scenes in 12A but you never know how much violence to expect. Thoughts? [/QUOTE] Iron Man? Really? I’m honestly curious: what parts were scary? ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/33 "2008-05-21T23:02:05Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Iron Man? Really? I’m honestly curious: what parts were scary? [/QUOTE] I’m not sure what parts they’re talking about, but I saw it this weekend (enjoyed it) and there was some war violence that was pretty well done as far as superhero movies go. Those parts got rather intense. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/34 "2008-05-21T23:14:05Z")
_[Iron Man](http://www.usccb.org/movies/current.shtml)_: “Nongraphic sexual activity, torture, a graphic medical procedure, sci-fi violence, occasional crude language, a brief profanity, sexual humor and innuendo.” ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/35 "2008-05-22T10:19:25Z")
From a now grown-up 10 year old girl’s perspective: The only scene I could imagine myself having had nightmares over would be the scene with the fire ants. But then I used to have an irrational fear of bugs climbing into my mouth while I sleep. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760/36 "2008-05-22T12:02:53Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Iron Man? Really? I’m honestly curious: what parts were scary? [/QUOTE] Well I have one kid who hates pretty much all intense action movies. The other one who is much braver hid her face a fair bit during exactly those scenes described by the British rating board. No lasting damage though…in the end she loved it. My concern about how scary Indiana Jones would be, is that there is a pretty wide spectrum of maturity within my daughters’ peer group. I didn’t want to end up with parents not allowing their kids to come to the party. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-scary-is-indy/449760.md?page=1)