I've seen it twice now. Non-spoiler review
Where do I even begin with my history with this franchise? Like a lot of people my connection with the Indiana Jones series goes back to before I can even recall. I don’t remember the first time my parents showed me Raiders of the Lost Ark, but from then on Raiders has been my favorite movie. To me it's the perfect blend of action and adventure and is the reason why I love movies. Those original 3 films were such a monumental aspect of my childhood and influence on my taste of entertainment. When the fourth film, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, came out I was ecstatic to finally see a new Indiana Jones film in the theater. I know that it's a divisive film to some but to me I love that fourth film, it's right up there with the original 3 with how it makes me feel, the joy of sitting back and experiencing the fun and excitement of an Indiana Jones adventure. This is all to say that when this fifth film, Dial of Destiny was announced I was excited. To me, who thought there would not be another film, a new Indiana Jones movie is a special treat that I hoped would bring me back to the same feelings I had watching the other films. So, this new movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. How is it?
It’s good. Fun and emotionally satisfying, but above all it IS an Indiana Jones movie. The film is not better than Raiders of the Lost Ark, nor is it better than The Last Crusade. In my opinion this film does not attempt to outshine the films that came before it, instead what director James Mangold has done is crafted an Indiana Jones film that fits right next to the others. Each Indiana Jones film is different, with each one approaching it’s story and themes in a unique way that sets each one apart from the others. Raiders is firmly an adventure film while Last Crusade weaves in a comedic tone with the relationship between father and son. What James has done here is to craft a film that does not tread on the others. There is a real problem in today's modern day Hollywood where sequels take the easy route of repeating the same beats and stories of the previous films. Ever since the announcement of Dial of Destiny there was always a worry at the back of my mind that the film would be nothing but callbacks and references to the past films, and while there are plenty of nods to the originals I am very happy to say that this film feels new and fresh, especially in the movie’s crazy 3rd act.
The film still has all the great elements of the Indiana Jones films, the villains are evil, ancient ruins with boobytraps that need to be solved, fun and exciting action chases, Indy punching Nazi’s, and an element of true history that helps to keep the fictional elements somewhat grounded. But here these ingredients are given a slight retooling, mostly due to Ford's age with which the film uses as a hook rather than a crutch. Here you can feel Indy’s struggle with being older, and the story revolves around the obstacles that come with a hero coming to terms with being in the twilight of his career. Ford plays the part perfectly, proving once again why he is the only one for this role. Although in this film he really lays on the “old man yells at clouds” energy and plays up the grumpy demeanor. There's more I could say on this but it would dive into spoiler territory so I will just say that Ford’s performance in this really helps the audience to understand Indy as a character more than any of the other films, with there being of plenty of times that he opens up allowing for an emotional core of the character to emerge. The new character Helena, played by Phoebe-Waller Bridge, is a fun new addition to the series. Here her character is essentially Indy’s character from Temple of Doom. A young archaeologist looking to make a big payout from finding and selling ancient lost relics. Her character contrasts nicely with the grizzled old Indiana who now has a much larger grasp on how precious life is, having long given up the “fortune and glory” days in pursuit of more meaningful relationships.
I would be amiss if I did not mention the score by the legendary John Williams. Williams once again crafts a wonderful musical accompaniment to the film. The Raiders March has never sounded better and hearing it triumphantly playing during the credits felt like I was wrapping myself in a warm blanket. During the opening prologue Williams re-uses several cues from the past films as a way to bring us back into the adventure of Jones, the scene taking place as a flashback. Hearing the familiar action motifs then contrasts nicely when the film skips to its present setting of 1969, allowing Williams to reshape the music to help convey the passage of time.
If I had any nitpicks for the film it would come down to the cinematography and editing. The 4 previous films were directed by Steven Spielberg, and while I love what James Mangold has done with the films, some of the action scenes could have used the Spielberg magic touch. Not saying any of the film’s sequences are bad, but Spielberg has a distinct visual flair with where he places and moves his cameras. Oftentimes this is used to convey several different plot or action beats in one shot. Mangold tries to do that but there are several moments that are more “traditionally” shot with the camera moving after the shot has finished. This loses the uninterrupted flow of Spielberg’s action scenes. Again, it's not bad, Mangold has filmed many incredible action movies, and this is one of them. But it’s like eating a sundae that's been prepared one certain way four times, then the next time you order it, it's using a different kind of nuts on top. It’s the same sundae, just prepared slightly differently. You could probably pick apart more in the film, but to me who loves to be caught up in the world of the film I tend to look past flaws for the sake of entertainment, and Dia of Destiny certainly held my attention. I would say if you didn't enjoy Crystal Skull or if you have trepidations about this one just check it out and you might be pleasantly surprised with the fun you may have.
Overall, the film is a solid piece of entertainment that brings an end to this very special film series. Could there be more films or spin-offs in the future? Sure, but with this being Ford’s swan song as this character I would prefer they just close the book with these great 5 films that have brought myself and countless others entertainment over decades and will continue to be entertaining for decades more.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review: 10/10
*As always, my review scores are based on a combination of film quality and enjoyment factor. Your results may vary.
