“Indiana Jones” Has A White Savior Complex

In the film Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (1984), the plot revolves around the portrayal of non-White cultures as mystical and in need of saving. A particularly icky scene occurs 25 minutes into the film, where the gang encounters an Indian village. The villagers are depicted as dirty and starving, and they desperately crowd Indiana Jones upon his arrival, reaching toward him as if he fell from heaven. The village leader explains that their home has fallen into despair due to a magical disturbance, and they believe their god chose Indiana Jones to retrieve their magical stone.

Despite their dire circumstances, the villagers passively waited for a savior, as if this strange White man were the only person capable of saving them. Additionally, the idea of the White savior is emphasized as the Indian man recounts the tragedy that has befallen his home, but despite his direct involvement, the camera pans away from him and focuses on Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones occupies the center of the frame while the Indian villagers in the background are intentionally blurred. The film also positions Indiana Jones as the savior by having him speak for the village people.

For example, throughout his conversation with the village leader, they converse in English without issue, but suddenly the Indian man switches to his native language without any apparent reason. This made me wonder why the Indian man, who was previously comfortable speaking English, was speaking his native language. It seems reasonable to conclude that the moment was included to make Indiana Jones appear intelligent and sympathetic rather than to honor the Indian man’s culture or personhood.

Consequently, this moment reflects a common trope in media, where the suffering of non-white characters is communicated through a White perspective for White audiences. Despite the suffering of this racialized group, the focus remains on the White man, causing the Indian people to be reduced to mere expository dialogue machines. In this story, the Indian people are helpless victims, and the benevolent White man is sent to save them.