Tarantino Hated This Spielberg Classic: "Such a Boring One"
Maybe the most Tarantino thing of all.
Steven Spielberg has directed some of the most universally beloved blockbusters in film history — and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is usually near the top of that list. Released in 1989, the third entry in the Indiana Jones saga is often praised for Sean Connery's dynamic with Harrison Ford, a globe-trotting adventure plot, and Spielberg's confident direction.
But Quentin Tarantino? He absolutely hated it.
In a past interview, the Pulp Fiction director admitted he couldn't stand The Last Crusade — and even went as far as saying he preferred Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the widely panned 2008 sequel often blamed for killing the franchise (until Dial of Destiny tried to finish the job).
Here's what Tarantino said:
"I like Crystal Skull more than the Sean Connery one. I don't like the Sean Connery one at all. That's such a boring one. It's boring. And he's not an interesting character."
A hot take, to say the least. Most fans and critics would strongly disagree — The Last Crusade has a 84% critic score and 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Crystal Skull, by comparison, sits at 78% and 53% respectively.
A Franchise Milestone (Even If Tarantino Disagrees)
Despite Tarantino's opinion, The Last Crusade was a major success:
- Released: May 24, 1989
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
- Budget: Around $48 million
- Worldwide box office: $474.1 million
- Starred: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott, Alison Doody
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 84% (critics), 94% (audience)
- Won the Academy Award for Best Sound Effects Editing
It was also the highest-grossing film worldwide in 1989 — beating out Batman, Back to the Future Part II, and Lethal Weapon 2. For context: this was Spielberg's second time making the year's top-grossing movie with Indiana Jones (after Raiders in 1981).
Tarantino didn't elaborate much beyond calling it "boring" and dissing Connery's character, but it fits with his broader tastes — he tends to lean toward messier, riskier entries in a franchise. He's long preferred Temple of Doom over Raiders, and once said Crystal Skull had "crazy stuff that at least went for it."