Robo Balboa’s review published on Letterboxd:
It’s the odd-duck of the franchise. More of an homage to horror films than to strict action-adventure serials. After all, there is a castle surrounded by a constant swarm of giant vampire bats. The villains especially seem inspired by a Bela Lugosi form of theatrics.
I think maybe the thing that works the least for me is the object: these stones, I don’t think they really put too much thought into them.
The whole mystery of the dying village is solved by the bad guys’ mining operation, once their dam is broken, and their children freed, the village is healed.
And the three stones glow when close to one another, and that’s explained by diamonds(?), but then at the end Indy whips out a chant, the stones begin to burn and then … that’s it.
Just not sure three out of five stones has as much punch as the Covenant of the Lost Ark, or the Holy Grail, or even a Crystal Skull.
Although, gun to my head, in 1983 I wouldn’t know how to follow up Raiders either.
