Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is rated PG-13:

With his trademark bullwhip and fedora hat, Professor Henry "Indiana" Jones (Harrison Ford) has made archeology cool and his fictitious persona a household icon. Whether protecting the ancient Hebrew Ark of the Covenant (as seen in the prequel Raiders of the Lost Ark) or uncovering other antique artifacts, the indestructible hero does for dusty old relics and legends what Bill Nye did for science and lab coats.

His day job involves teaching archeology at a university. Still, the professor is lured away from his school responsibilities when the employees of a wealthy businessman, Walter Donovan (Julian Glover), unearth a portion of a stone carving at a building site. The partially broken tablet is engraved with clues leading to the location of the Holy Grail, the celebrated cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.

Initially Indiana refuses the private collector's invitation to search for the sacred item. But when the adventurer discovers his father, the senior Jones (Sean Connery), has gone missing while following the pointers on the tablet, Indy is drawn into the fray. With his dad's diary in hand, the archeologist flies to Europe where he meets Dr. Elsa Schneider (Alison Doody), who also works for Donovan. They, together with Indy's traveling companion Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot), follow the scribbles in the small leather-bound book to the rat-infested catacombs underneath an ancient cathedral.

There, they stumble upon the tombstone of a decaying knight whose shield holds the complete text from the rock engraving. But their efforts to recover the missing part of the message are hindered when the underground passage way is engulfed in flames.

Like the Indiana adventures before it, the Last Crusade is swarming with pistol-packing assailants, life-threatening ventures that result in a burgeoning body count and enough bad guys to outfit an entire army. In this case, it's the Nazis, under the direction of Adolf Hitler (Michael Sheard), who are in cahoots with other bounty hunters looking for the elixir of eternal life.

However, the prolific violence seems mitigated by the film's jaunty musical score playing in the background. A disturbing notion since the carnage includes characters being shot in the head, blown up, beheaded, run over by a tank and pushed from a hovering plane. Another man disintegrates into dust in front of his comrades after ingesting a liquid.

Interested in artifacts for their historic value rather than monetary worth, Indy's ambitions to protect the cup from the grasp of less-than-noble men is to be expected. Yet even he employs death-inflicting measures (and some profanity) to achieve his ends. Neither of which impresses his more scholarly father.

Fortunately this rousing cross-country journey gives the Jones men a chance to reevaluate and improve their relationship between their bouts with the German Gestapo. Still, the excess of violence, implied sexual activities and squeamish rat scenes may be more action than many parents will want their young crusaders to see.

Studio: Paramount Pictures.

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This quest for the Holy Grail involves the use of pistols, semiautomatic weapons, swords, a ship rudder and other weapons that result in death and bloody injuries. A graphic beheading (which shows the decapitated body part rolling along the floor), exploding vehicles, fires and a plane downed by a flock of birds also add to a growing death toll. Corpses and decaying bodies are shown along with numerous moments of peril. A man ages rapidly and turns to dust after ingesting a liquid. A female character implies that she has shared sexual favors with both a father and son. Passionate kissing is seen. Some profanities and terms of Deity are contained in the script along with depictions of alcohol and cigarette use.

Many of the characters in this film are seeking immortality. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of living forever? According to this script, what is the price a person would have to pay to have immortality?

The Nazis instituted book burning during their reign. Why were literate citizens seen as a danger? What other regimes have used similar tactics with their people?

What does the Holy Grail signify to the various characters in this movie? What is the difference between an interest and an obsession? At what point does one lead to the other?

Hidden clues, cryptic messages and ancient relics are all components in the adventure films National Treasure and National Treasure 2 Book of Secrets. The hope of everlasting life affects an entire community when a mysterious man arrives in a quiet village in Tuck Everlasting.

Check out our other reviews of the Indian Jones franchise, which includes: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Available in a 4-disc set, The Adventures of Indiana Jones includes all three movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark / The Temple of Doom / The Last Crusade), digitally restored and remastered—so you wont miss any of the gory details. Other bonus materials provided are; a making-of documentary, featurettes about the stunts, sound, music and “lights and magic” of the trilogy, as well as original theatrical trailers. You can also go online with an exclusive weblink for more behind the scenes pictures and promotions. The audio tracks are available in English (Dolby Digital 5.1) Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), with English, Spanish and French subtitles.

May 13, 2008:In anticipation of the 2008 release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Paramount Home Entertainment is re-releasing to DVD the Indiana Jones series (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade)