Scene Analysis: Raiders of the Lost Ark

As with many action stories, scenes are often abbreviated to include Goal-Conflict-Disaster only. Often times, the Disaster step requires immediate action from the main character to respond to the disaster without having the luxury of reacting and deliberating on it. In the examples that follow, the goal outcomes are not disaster per se, they are a “yes…but” variety.

In this example, we examine the first few scenes from the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Images are taken from the movie. While I do not own rights to the movie, the images are used purely for educational purposes.

The movie begins somewhere in South America, 1936, where Indiana Jones and his assistant are traveling through the jungle.

Goal

“Senor, nobody has come out of there alive,” Indy’s assistant says.

Although we don’t yet know exactly what the goal is, we can see Indiana press forward and in the next scene we see them enter a cave. Goals don’t always have to be explicitly stated, sometimes the action will suffice.

Conflict

Indiana has giant spiders climbing on his back, which calmly brushes aside with his whip. His actions show he’s brave and keeps cool under pressure.

Conflict

Indiana expects hidden defenses in the cave. He correctly assumes that one should stay out of the light to avoid triggering large spikes to thrust out of the wall. His actions show that he’s intelligent as he tries to outsmart the cave’s dangers.

Conflict

They encounter a deep pit. Indiana uses his trusty whip to swing across. His actions show that he’s prepared and capable of handling these obstacles. Showing your hero easily overcoming obstacles is one way to show the areas in which your character is competent.

Conflict

The golden idol (goal) is within view. Indiana notices muddy patches on the ground and tests out another theory. By pressing down in the mud with a torch, he uncovers another booby trap, as a poison dart shoots out of the wall and strikes the torch.

Conflict

Indiana tiptoes across the muddy floor, almost tripping, but avoiding the traps.

Conflict

Now on the podium with the idol, Indiana considers how to remove the statue. He suspects (wisely!) that the altar will detect the removal. Fortunately, he has previously filled a sandbag, which he uses as weight to keep the mechanism on the alter disarmed.

Outcome

Goal achieved? Yes…but a few seconds later, a mechanism on the altar lowers and the cave begins to implode.

Reaction? Dilemma? Decision?

There’s no time for to process emotions, weight the different options and make the best decision. The cave is collapsing!

New Goal

Get out of the cave alive!

In action sequences, it’s common to skip the Reaction, Dilemma, and Decision components and go straight from one scene’s disaster to the next scene’s goal.

Conflict

Indiana runs and avoids the poison arrows shooting out of the walls.

Conflict

Indy’s assistant swings across the deep pit first, and tells Indy to toss him the Idol in exchange for the whip as an overhead door slowly lowers in the distance, threatening to seal them inside.

Conflict

Indy’s assistant betrays him and flees out the doorway, leaving Indy without a means to swing across the pit.

Conflict

Indiana makes a running jump and struggles to pull himself out of the pit using a vine, racing to get through the doorway just before it closes. He retrieves the golden Idol, dropped by his dead assistant.

Conflict

In one of the most iconic parts of this scene, a giant boulder rolls after Indy, threatening to squash him or leave him sealed in the cave forever.

Outcome

At the last instant he dives out of the cave, just as the giant stone seals the mouth of the cave.

He’s escaped the cave…alive.

Goal achieved?

Yes…but he’s surrounded by natives, who have their weapons trained on him.

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