Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Movie Review
Nathan Swank
June 26th, 2023
Firstly, it was so much fun seeing Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones on the big screen again. I think what made it so much fun is that INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY is actually a pretty decent movie. Now I’m not saying that it’s great or even close to better than the first three films, but it is way better than 2008’s INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, and easily comparable, if not more so, as a refreshing adventure to the tired superhero genre from the last couple of years.
Harrison Ford is 80-years-young and still nailing lines and crushing his wily expressions we have grown to know and love. As gruff and grumpy as his persona might come off in his old age, there is something just absolutely lovable and charismatic about the guy. Is it unbelievable seeing him run around, climbing, diving, and beating up bad guys? Yeah. Was it necessary to even make another chapter to the character’s saga? Probably not. But it is fun nonetheless and the film makes sure to lessen his action and treat him as a less capable, aging Indy. However, I’m not sure how many Nazi loving soldiers old man strength can punch before stepping on the, let’s settle down and take a nap grandpa, psyche of the audience.
Once again, our favorite archaeologist, Indiana Jones, is on a life-threatening mission against time and villains to retrieve an ancient artifact. Obviously much older now, Indy is accompanied by his goddaughter, Helena Shaw, played by the wonderful Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Helena is youthful, adventurous, and able to hold her own taking on anything that comes her way. She is the main instigator for the mission with a bit of the sly, quick-witted rebellious nature that we have come to love from Indy. She could easily take the reins and have her own action-adventure films in the future (but please let’s not call it Indiana Jones).
I recently showed my kids Steven Spielberg’s 1981 masterpiece, INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, and it was absolutely incredible (about 30 minutes shorter than the recent film too). The last bit of melting face effects had to be seen peeking through fingers, but ultimately was enjoyed by all. THE RAIDERS OF LOST ARK still holds perfection for the action adventure genre. THE TEMPLE OF DOOM is dark and weird, but it still mostly works for me with some incredible imagery and action. THE LAST CRUSADE is terrific fun and matches the energy and joy of the original. THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL isn’t worth speaking of and thankfully easy to forget.
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY matches that old school adventure practical style in the same vein as the first three, which should provide a nice nostalgic entertainment for audiences. I say “practical” because the film mostly feels like real stunts and locations compared to the previous film, which felt overly CG’d and not at all part of the INDIANA JONES universe. I say, “mostly” because there are a few scenes that look a bit out of place. While the effects to make Ford look young again as Indy at the beginning of the film are impressive, it still doesn’t look quite right with a stiffness that never fully matches the actor.
A decent villain is always important and the always impressive Mads Mikkelsen is great as a Nazi supporting nemesis, but he doesn’t really get enough material to shine. And Antonio Banderas is completely underutilized. I’m also not a big fan of the artifact that has the possibility of time travel. The first three films played a little with the supernatural from a spiritual viewpoint, while the most recent films played with stretching science. Some may argue that it’s all unbelievable, but it feels a bit more out of the wheelhouse.
With some great set pieces, a fairly solid opening action sequence, a strong supporting crew of characters, and Indy himself, INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, while deeply flawed, is a joy to ride alongside with on another adventure. If only that adventure could have been a half hour shorter.
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