Is this the darkest Indy? Short Round supremacy? And how did this movie help invent PG-13? We dig into Spielberg’s 1984 prequel—set pieces, pulp vibes, what still works (and what doesn’t), and where Temple of Doom lands in our Indy rankings.

What we cover

• Shanghai opener, poisoned deal, and the wild raft drop

• Pankot Palace: dinner scene, secret passages, bug tunnel, spike room

• Thuggee cult, Black Sleep, and that mine-cart masterclass

• Rope-bridge finale & why the staging still sings

• Trivia: prequel timeline, PG-13 origins, Ke Huy Quan’s casting, miniatures & stunts