Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

All the actors, both fresh and familiar, understood the assignment with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. New characters are fun and have some comedic tension with the originals. Classic characters show the newbies the ropes and how the world has changed since the original series. Ford has returned to past iconic roles in Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and here, like in those roles, he brings a grizzled, world-weary sense to his performance. However, his standout moments are all while playing young Indy in the opening, which is easily the most exciting moment. Mikkleson plays a menacing enough villain, and Walker-Bridges does well as a streetwise new-generation character in every frame.

“…never recaptures the glory days of searching for the lost ark.”

While the film has a few fun moments, its biggest problem is the need for the innate sense of wonder associated with Indiana Jones. The Morocco chase sequence will feel familiar to anyone who saw Jurassic World Dominion (minus the dinosaurs). Many of the fight scenes seemed straight from Uncharted or Captain America: The First Avenger (in more ways than punching Nazis). Even major revelations and emotional beats feel cheapened by their lack of accountability toward the plot. Ultimately, the foundation of the franchise is the big beautiful spectacle of each set piece or elaborate stunt. But those moments between the epic adventures bring fans back to the original trilogy and make audiences care about Indiana, Sallah, and Marion. It’s one of the many qualities that make those films so rewatchable. While this is by no means unwatchable, it does not warrant the repeated viewings of the originals because the characterizations just are not there.

Hearing the classic John Williams theme will always thrust fans into the adventure that is an Indiana Jones film. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has a few entertaining moments and plenty of glorious Nazi punching. Seeing some familiar faces is enjoyable, but honestly, it feels more like a learned lesson from the Star Wars sequel trilogy, never having Han, Luke, and Leia in the same scene. The line “Indiana Jones, out with a bang and back in the saddle” hits the hardest, though its impact is felt more by the audience than Helena relating to Jones. Mangold attempts to send Indy on one last adventure but never recaptures the glory days of searching for the lost ark. When it’s time to swing that whip or run from a boulder, Indiana Jones fans would likely feel more satisfied returning to the original trilogy or viewing the infamous fan film Raiders: The Adaptation.