Temple of Doom gun scene is sign of cultural decline, says Whedon

OK, so 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' isn't everyone's favourite, but is it really a sign of the decline of modern culture?

'Avengers' helmsman Joss Whedon thinks so, and he's taken issue with one scene in particular.

“A movie has to be complete within itself; it can't just build off the first one or play variations,” he told Entertainment Weekly.

[Will Joss Whedon kill off any of The Avengers?]

“You know that thing in 'Temple of Doom' where they revisit the shooting trick? That's what you don't want. And I feel that's what all of culture is becoming - it's becoming that moment.”

Oof. Sorry, Mr Spielberg.

The set piece that so upset Whedon is the one in which Indy is confronted with two sword-wielding men, and reaches for his gun.

[James Spader cast as Ultron in Avengers 2]

But finding it's not there – and with a wry grin - he has to use his good old fists instead (check it out below, at about 45 seconds in).

It references the now classic scene in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' in which Indy faces off with a rather threatening chap in the Cairo bazaar, who proceeds to brandish his sword in a rather showy fashion.

Following the display, and bored with hand-to-hand fighting, he pulls his gun and shoots him.

Perhaps confusingly, 'Temple of Doom' was a prequel to 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', meaning that Indiana hadn't yet shot the man in the market, so wouldn't have appreciated the coincidence.

But that's another issue.

Was it just a knowing joke? Or is it a sign of cultural decline? The latter sounds a bit harsh...