I think the movie is trying to sell you on Indy being fundamentally different--he does it for science! He wants things to be studied in museums! But as Belloq points out, there's not that much difference between him and Indy. Belloq seems less interested in power or personal glory than in knowledge. He, too, believes things should be studied and learned. But he works for Nazis, so therefore he's bad. Nevermind that Sullah also works for the Nazis.
It's the sort of thing where the narrative structure tells me that Indy's good because he's the hero...but the narrative structure is practically the only thing delineating him. It's easier to make the case for Indy as hero in Last Crusade...
And I think in part the Deus ex machina isn't bothersome because it's clear that Indy didn't die because he followed the rules, not because he was good. God isn't fixing his problems. God is just doing exactly what the Old Testament said he would. Belloq is clearly commiting sacrilege--not only is he opening the Ark, but he's donning Hebrew vestments in a mockery of the ancient rituals. So the miracle of the ark is more like the bad guy getting killed by a land mine he stepped on, you know? I just find it interesting that this could be the clearest case I know of of Deus ex machina and yet avoid all the negative storytelling consequences of that trope by the way it is used.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2011-02-23 07:24 pm (UTC)It's the sort of thing where the narrative structure tells me that Indy's good because he's the hero...but the narrative structure is practically the only thing delineating him. It's easier to make the case for Indy as hero in Last Crusade...
And I think in part the Deus ex machina isn't bothersome because it's clear that Indy didn't die because he followed the rules, not because he was good. God isn't fixing his problems. God is just doing exactly what the Old Testament said he would. Belloq is clearly commiting sacrilege--not only is he opening the Ark, but he's donning Hebrew vestments in a mockery of the ancient rituals. So the miracle of the ark is more like the bad guy getting killed by a land mine he stepped on, you know? I just find it interesting that this could be the clearest case I know of of Deus ex machina and yet avoid all the negative storytelling consequences of that trope by the way it is used.