‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Review – A Bittersweet Farewell

Synopsis: It’s 1969, and Indiana Jones is ready to call it quits. Having spent more than a decade teaching at New York’s Hunter College, the esteemed professor of archaeology is preparing to retire to his modest apartment where, these days, he lives alone. Things change after a surprise visit from his estranged goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who is seeking a rare artifact that her father entrusted to Indy years earlier—the infamous Archimedes Dial, a device that purportedly holds the power to locate fissures in time.

You’re only as old as you feel. At least that’s what we want to believe. Yet, there is always someone or something to remind you how old you actually are. As a society we, for whatever reason, place cultural age limitations or restrictions on things that shouldn’t have a joy-bringing expiration date and oftentimes hurt no one. At particular points, we’re supposedly “too old” for toys, “too mature” for video games, “too adult” for cartoons, “too elderly” to drive, and “too grown” for clothes that we enjoyed in our 20s. I don’t know who made these rules or why we allow them to hold weight, but they are present at every turn and they are completely wrong.

However, despite being told that you can do whatever you want when you grow up, when it comes to the physical aspect of getting older, your knees and back are the boss. You can stretch and exercise all you want but eventually, it will take its toll at some point. It’s impossible to avoid times effects on your body outside of surgery or some other drastic measure. Nevertheless, if you can keep nature at bay like an apple a day keeps the doctor away, saddle up until you can’t anymore.

“Give ’em hell, Indiana Jones!”

The hat’s being dusted off, the whip is back on the hip, and adventure is nigh because retirement can wait. Directed by James Mangold, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a bittersweet farewell to a legendary character. Well, at least for now. From the outfit to the quotes down to the boobytraps, sidekicks, and narrow escapes, Indiana Jones’ icon status spans multiple generations. Once you hear the triumphant horns of Raiders March by John Williams begin to play you’re instantly transported and can smell discovery in the air. You know that not only is an explosive quest afoot but your sense of wonder is sparked as the films play with history and the mysterious artifacts that trigger those fun “what if” conspiracy thoughts.

Unfortunately, this fifth installment is like receiving a birthday card with no money in it. It’s thoughtful and even a little humorous and you definitely appreciate it, however, once you’ve read the empty effort, you toss it to the side to be forgotten. Nonetheless, if you’re a diehard Indy fan, you’ll probably still enjoy this just not as much as you’d like. From its callbacks, references, and familiar faces, there is plenty for you to geek out about. That said, for the casual Jones fan who may not have seen every film and is expecting a high-intensity nonstop roller coaster-like romp, temper those expectations. While Harrison Ford still harnesses the Jones charm and charisma, the scene-stealing Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a perfect addition, and Mads Mikkelsen is a terrifying foe, the film’s pacing along with its drawn-out and laughably unbelievable sequences are what derail what could’ve been a perfect send-off. It’s entirely too long.

“I don’t believe in magic, Wombat, but I’ve seen some things…”

Despite CGI being heavily criticized in multiple releases as of late, the de-aging in this film is done exceptionally well. While they could’ve shied away from it and used it for a mere shot or two, they instead use it for the first fifteen to twenty minutes as it sets up crucial elements of the story but also a huge plot hole. The adverse adventure is pretty standard until about halfway through but even then it hinders itself by slowing its momentum on multiple occasions.

The best aspects of the film belong to Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and whoever she is interacting with. She, along with curiosity about the dial is what keeps the final Jones journey afloat. The score is fantastic, the performances are great, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and the writing is decent. The Dial of Destiny just isn’t able to live up to the spirited nature and scale of its predecessors. It can and will still be enjoyed but it’s a bit of a blockbuster bore. What it delivers in its climax should’ve been explored more. It fails to do enough to warrant the hype that it wants. However, if you have to see a beloved and iconic character make an exit, it might as well be in the theater with other franchise fans. Its rewatchability is low.

 

Pacing & Pop

While the film features multiple chase scenes and is a race against time, it takes a lifetime to finish. For what is advertised as a rip-roaring crusade, it moves at a pace that matches Ford’s 80 years of age. What popped for me was the performance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She effortlessly steals the show from the moment she appears on screen.

 

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Olivier Richters, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen

As I mentioned before, Phoebe Waller-Bridge steals the show with ease. As Helena, she brings life and energy and constantly keeps you guessing. You never quite know if she’s working an angle or not. Harrison Ford is great as expected. While witnessing an 80-year-old fighting and evading younger men took me out a bit, it take away from the Jones essence the Ford exudes. Whenever Mads Mikkelsen is in any kind of villain-type role, I completely believe him and this character portrayal is no different. I don’t know who is the more terrifying Nazi, Mikkelsen as Dr. Voller in this film or Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds, but Mads is definitely more visually menacing. Not to mention, his high intellect and need to revisit the days of Hitler make him a threat to everything and everyone in the present. Let me not forget Ethann Isidore who plays Teddy. He is definitely another bright spot in the film. I could definitely see a spinoff with Helena and Teddy being really fun.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases in theaters on June 30, 2023. Remain safe and make it up as you go.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 2h 34m

Director: James Mangold

Writers: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp and James Mangold

Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Simon Emanuel

Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas

Score: John Williams

Director of Photography: Phedon Papamichael

Production Design: Adam Stockhausen

Costume Design: Joanna Johnston

Editors: Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland and Dirk Westervelt

Visual Effects Supervisor: Andrew Whitehurst