About the film (courtesy of Lucasfilm):
Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history. Accompanied by his goddaughter, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is being billed as Harrison Ford’s last adventure under the signature fedora hat. While it’s a still a slight debate as to when this iteration of Indiana Jones will be hanging up his whip, Father Time may end up having its say. The 80-year-old actor should, by all accounts, be ready and willing to walk away from the more than four-decade long adventure.
Director James Mangold is the person tasked with putting a pretty little bow on this seemingly timeless character, much in the way that he did with another well-known franchise favorite, in Logan (2017). In that regard, I have to give Lucasfilm a respectful nod going into this fifth and final(?) film. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny should have audiences slightly on edge, not knowing Indy’s fate and all.
Co-staring are Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, and Antonio Banderas, with a host of other actors, including some familiar surprises. The thing is, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it’s a fun and exciting adventure that delivers on the promise of seeing Harrison Ford back in the role of Indiana Jones. Ford is still as charismatic and charming as ever, and he’s well-matched with Waller-Bridge, who brings a lot of energy and humor to the role of his goddaughter. The action sequences are also decently choreographed and sometimes exciting, and the film is visually stunning, with some great locations and set pieces.
On the other hand, the film feels a bit too derivative of the previous Indiana Jones films. The plot is essentially a rehash of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and the film is full of callbacks to the earlier films. This can be fun for fans of the series, but it also makes this entry feel a bit stale, but still better than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Additionally, the film’s CGI is a bit uneven, and some of the special effects look dated. That being said, the CGI de-aging of Harrison Ford is quite impressive. With the timeline of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny spanning 25 years, it’s kind of important here.
Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a serviceable adventure film that’s sure to please some fans of the series. However, it’s not a classic, and it’s not the best Indiana Jones film, but it’s not the worst either. Some exciting action sequences, exotic locations, and a dash of humor may be just enough to keep it afloat through through to the long holiday weekend.
You can see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and judge for yourself starting Friday, June 30th with early showtimes on Thursday. And let’s be honest here, if you’ve seen the other entries, you’ll want to see how it wraps up. The question becomes whether or not to see it in the theater or wait until a home viewing option is available. Personally, I’m torn, but due to the fact that I’ve been a longtime fan, I’m grading up.
