Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) User Reviews

A worth while sequel and final. And why you dont have to believe the haters...

[imseeg · 7/10 · 3 July 2023]

What do the haters complain about? And why you should still watch this final edition.

1 The first Indiana Jones editions were the best.

This new edition has got the same spirit, the same amount of action, the same amount of adventure and I loved it (almost) as much as the early editions.

2 The leading actress Phoebe is a disaster.

My personal opinion is that she aint bad at all. She shines. And dont forget she doesnt have to carry this movie, Harrison Ford does.

3 Harrison Ford has gotten old and grumpy.

Correct. He has been always grumpy! And yes, he has gotten old and director James Mangold shows Indiana's old age in all of it's demise AND glory. Respect!

4 There are no jokes. It's too serious with too many killings.

Rubbish. There are still enough good jokes, but not the "in your face" jokes we were used to. But I love the more subtle, indirect jokes.

It is more serious though and I LIKE IT. Even an adventure needs some serious notes, to be more credible. And by the way, I am not a kid anymore and so arent many other Indiana fans!

5 Steven Spielberg didnt direct it.

But James Mangold did and whoever googles Mangold's Imdb carreer, soon will find out this director has made some fabulous movies. I applaud his direction!

I loved this edition. It had everything I needed in an adventure packed movie. It thrilled me. It made me laugh. And the final scenes really TOUCHED me and gave me goosebumps. I had a wonderful time watching this last edition!

Just another solidly made Indiana Jones flick. Enjoy the show!

Thank you for reading my 2000 th review on Imdb.

Was actually depressing instead of fun

[thejefflewis-92228 · 6/10 · 1 July 2023]

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is on my top 10 list of all-time favorite movie. I did not feel that "Dial of Destiny" gave a proper send off to the francise. It seemed like the first half of the movie is nothing but over the top chase scenes about trying to get possession of the Dial. That first half does not invest time to plant motivation so the viewer will even care about the Dial and who gets possession of it. Also, the Helena character is pretty unlikeable. Her passion is in the wrong place. Indiana is at odds with Helena for most of the movie. They do not make a good team. And then Indiana is a deflated version of Indiana that is kind of depressing. And to top it all off, there is no sense of fun and comedy in the movie. I hope writers have not forgotten how to write a good adventure story. "Dial of Destiny" misses the mark on many levels. And it kind of bothered me how much unnecessary killing there was in the movie. That is not family friendly. I wanted to really like "Dial of Destiny", but as the movie was progressing, I had to admit the movie was just not working.

A Muddled Misadventure

[reelreviewsandrecommendations · 6/10 · 17 July 2023]

It is 1944 and adventuring archaeologist Indiana Jones is in a familiar predicament: the Nazis have caught him attempting to scupper their nefarious plans. After breaking free of their vile clutches, Jones and his accomplice Basil Shaw discover the fascists have found the Antikythera mechanism, a device created by Archimedes that supposedly reveals time fissures. Jones escapes, foils the enemy's schemes and steals the mechanism- seemingly putting the matter to bed. Some 25 years later, however, Jones is thrust back into action when his goddaughter Helena comes looking for the Antikythera; with an underground group of die-hard Nazis on her tail. Will Jones and Helena manage to save the day before time runs out?

Directed by James Mangold and written alongside Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp, 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' is an uneven sendoff to one of the greatest characters in film history, that all too often feels like it came from the 'paint by numbers' school of filmmaking. Mangold tries throughout to recapture the magic of the original trilogy of Jones pictures, and occasionally succeeds; such as in the thrilling opening set in 1944, or a touching reunion between Indy and his estranged love at the end of the film. Furthermore, it is consistently enjoyable watching Harrison Ford on screen as Indy once more, even if he is a more downcast fellow this time; and the odd reference to adventures past is sure to make fans of the series grin from ear to ear.

However, the narrative is weak, the characterization of secondary characters is scant at best and- weirdly- at times it seems as if Indy is the sidekick in his own film. Helena Shaw, from the moment she comes on screen, is treated as the real star of the show, despite her being a decidedly unlikable lady. A spoiled and arrogant heiress, she is constantly rude and dismissive of Indy, when she isn't being reckless and impulsive, putting herself and others in danger for her own selfish motives. As written, the character has little to no respect for history or culture, seeing everything as a means to an end. She contrasts starkly with Indy, whose humble respect for his profession and legacy endears him to audiences. Helena, on the other hand, is a self-centered cad, who tries to upstage our hero at every turn. Why Mangold thought she should be made the (arguable) central character when this is Indy's last outing is beyond comprehension, not to mention being irritating and disrespectful to a cinematic legend.

Alas, Mangold's poor characterization isn't confined to her alone. 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' not only provides us with a discount Short Round in the form of Helena's associate Teddy- a kid more irritating than mischievous- but a discount Major Toht too, in the form of Professor Voller- a Nazi scientist so generic even the incomparable Mads Mikkelsen can't make him interesting. Neither of these new iterations of old characters are very compelling, nor well rounded; and their inclusion in the film feels like a desperate attempt to out-do and re-create times gone by. Furthermore, the few familiar faces that occasionally pop up feel shoehorned into the plot, and Voller's troupe of henchmen are bland and forgettable.

Unfortunately, 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' contains underwhelming visuals as well, which look cheap compared to the likes of 'Raiders' or 'The Last Crusade.' Much like with the previous 'The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', there is a phony digital sheen to everything on screen that takes one out of the movie completely, and the questionable CGI is jarring throughout. Comparing the first three movies with the last two, it seems digital processes don't fit an Indiana Jones vehicle, they are the kind of epics that demand to be shot on film with practical effects. Moreover, the exaggerated effects and artificiality of proceedings hamper whatever realism Mangold was trying to foster with his downbeat narrative and allusions to real world history.

The main problem with 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,' though, is its lack of originality or charm, which the previous films- well, the first three, anyway- had in spades. Mangold seems content to rely on recycled tropes and clichés to forward the story, making this adventure feel like familiar ground instead of fresh fun. The film uses the similar formula of Nazis, ancient artifacts, exotic locations and supernatural elements that we have seen before, but without the wit, creativity and excitement that made them memorable; meaning this iteration of Indy comes as more of a whimper than a bang.

Are there some elements deserving of praise in the film? Of course. Harrison Ford is consistently excellent and engaging as Indy, carrying the adventure squarely on his shoulders with his usual ease and charm. Furthermore, John Williams' epic score is stirring and- though her character is unlikable- Phoebe Waller-Bridge brings a nice blend of snark and enthusiasm to proceedings, sharing a good chemistry with Ford. Had they a better script to work with- and if Mangold's characterization wasn't so one-dimensional- they might have made a memorable duo. Additionally, the action is generally well realized- though tends towards the overblown- and there are moments and batches of dialogue that'll have fans of the series entertained, even if they are a bit few and far between.

However, 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' just isn't great. As an adventure movie, it is too downbeat, and as a final entry in a fantastic series, it is too weak narratively to make much impact. Though it makes for a better overall package than 'The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,' it's not by much. The character of Helena Shaw is hard to warm to, the villains are forgettable and the visuals are underwhelming. In short, Indy, Ford and the fans deserved a better movie than 'The Dial of Destiny,' a muddled misadventure proving that time waits for no man; not even Indiana Jones.

Had it's moments, but did this really need to be made.

[DarkVulcan29 · 6/10 · 30 June 2023]

I mean Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) may have had its flaws, but still had a sense of fun to it, like an Indiana Jones movie should. There was very little of that here.

1969 Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is quite bitter, is about to retire has a college professor and his marriage to Marion is ending, but his feeling for adventure comes back. When his goddaughter named Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) comes to him about a special device that could change the course of history.

Some actions are pretty good, Harrison Ford is great has Indy, showing his old age catching up with him. And the de aged scenes are pretty descent. Now Pheobe Waller Bridge is so annoying to watch, her over the top know at all attitude made me want to walk out of theater, and she and Ford just never clicked. Mads Michaelson is pretty good has the bad guy. But the sense of fun just wasn't there this time, as the film started to get to the point, I was losing interest. Some moments I liked, but all in all I was just wanting this to end.

Lacks The Spielbergian Magic Of Its Predecessors

[CinemaClown · 3 July 2023]

The fifth & final instalment in the Indiana Jones franchise and also the first to not be helmed by Steven Spielberg, Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny brings the famous archaeologist back for one final outing yet finishes as a bland & bloated blockbuster that fails to replicate the magic & bravado of its predecessors despite having all the necessary ingredients at its disposal.

Co-written & directed by James Mangold (Logan & Ford v Ferrari), the film opens with a thrilling & action-packed prologue that brings the titular artefact into play but then it follows it up with a series of events that just unfold with a straightforward monotonousness. Despite being the final chapter, it doesn't have the urgency, even the exposition is lame, and the action set pieces lack flavour.

What makes the ride dull is the same rinse-n-repeat approach that surface throughout the film in addition to it not having any genuine sense of danger or adventure or escalation. Humour is often poorly timed and the picture also fails to provide John Williams any moment to allow his music to soar. Harrison Ford manages to hold his own in spite of the frailty in his performance but the rest are forgettable.

Overall, Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny begins on a promising note but gets bogged down by issues of its own makings. Most of the problems plaguing this latest sequel can be found in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull too but even that disparaged entry employed better use of shots, cuts & outrageous set pieces. This one fares somewhat better as a whole but it is still a lifeless, overlong & mediocre offering.

Not The Final Indiana Jones Movie I Wanted

[slightlymad22 · 6/10 · 28 June 2023]

I just got out of Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny

They have only gone and done it!! They have made a dull, boring Indiana Jones movie!! This is going to pain me to write.

It started out great (the first 20 minutes or so) then it's just very meh as it really drags to its ending!! If you don't like what Mangold did to Logan in Logan, you won't like what he has done to Indiana Jones here. He is an old, grumpy; miserable, very depressed alcoholic, who bores his students to sleep and he has retirement forced on him.

The chase sequences are clearly green screen and CGI and it really stands out!! It never feels real.

Ford is game, and almost everything he does in this movie is believable. John Williams score is the best thing about this movie.

Phoebe Waller Bridge is just one annoying woman, I never bought their relationship for one second, nothing feels real. None of her jokes landed and in the full movie, there was only one laugh in my screening and that was during a Raiders of The Lost Ark call back.

Mads Mickelson is as reliable as ever. He always delivers, so no complaints here.

It pains me to say, I'll probably never watch it again. Now it's time to drink away my disappointment.

I liked everything but Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Very Minor Spoilers)

[themarvelheroeslildoop · 6/10 · 3 July 2023]

The plot was surprisingly good, as I was expecting some MCU multiverse hijinks but was instead given a more grounded approach to time travel. It felt like a breath of fresh air in that sense.

Madds was a good villain. He had a cool backstory and plan in this film and was well-acted.

The action was good. Not much with Indiana's whip, which is a bit disappointing. Then again, Ford is in his 80's so I understand. I enjoyed the action scenes despite their limitations.

However... Phoebe Waller-Bridge made me wanna walk out of the theatre (not really, because I payed for normal tickets and was seated in a Screen X theatre by mistake). Her lines were awful. She ate food with her mouth open and came across very cocky for no good reason. She didn't seem to deserve to be the character she was. I hated her in this movie.

Indy's farewell fares well

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 29 June 2023]

Greetings again from the darkness. "They look like snakes." It's such a simple line of dialogue, yet after 42 years and four previous movies, we know exactly what that means to retiring archaeology professor, Dr. Henry Jones, best known to all as the swashbuckling Indiana Jones. As the final chapter of the beloved franchise, this entry is the first one not directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg (listed here as an Executive Producer). Instead, James Mangold takes the reins, and also shares writing credit with his frequent collaborators Jez Butterworth and John Henry Butterworth, as well as "Indiana Jones" veteran David Koepp. Of course, George Lucas and Philip Kaufman receive credit for their original characters.

Harrison Ford once again dons the familiar whip and hat, and at 80 years of age, still possesses the screen persona and magnetism that first won us over in "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The extended and frenetic opening sequence finds a young Indy (Ford is digitally de-aged for the sequence) at the tail end of WWII fighting Nazis over what else, a prized ancient artifact. I'll leave the specifics to those who watch the film, but just know that it's an interesting historical choice, and also one that matters little in relation to the enjoyment of the film.

Working alongside Indy in the opening sequence is his pal and fellow archaeologist, Basil Shaw (talented character actor Toby Jones, who seems to be in most movies these days). However, the fun part for me is seeing Thomas Kretschmann and Mads Mikkelsen share scenes as Nazi Colonel Weber and Dr. Voller, respectively. These are two of my favorite actors and I do wish they had a couple more exchanges ... although Mikkelsen's character gets significant screen time and plays a crucial role in how the story unfolds and concludes (he is also digitally de-aged for the opening sequence).

The story picks up with modern day Dr Voller and his band of misfits tracking down the relic and disturbing Dr. Jones' retirement party. It's at this point where Indy's Goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) pops up creating a three-way battle for the priceless relic. This sets off a chain of events that leads them on a global trek to desert, sea, and hallowed cities of antiquity. Helena's partner in crime is young Teddy (Ethann Isidore, sporting a Bob Griese Dolphins jersey), who is clearly the scrappiest of the bunch. Dr Voller's troupe includes Shaunetta Renee Wilson as the misguided Mason, Brad Holbrook as sleazy Klaber, and Olivier Richters as one of the largest bodyguards you've ever seen.

Fans of the franchise know that the story is secondary to the characters and action, and there is no shortage of action on speeding trains, galloping horses, motorcycles, tuk tuks, vintage airplanes, and scuba dives. Antonio Banderas shows up as a boat-owning old friend of Indy, but it's the appearance of series favorites John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, and Karen Allen as Marion, that generated cheers from the audience. Ms. Waller-Bridge holds her own with screen legend Ford, and it will be interesting to see the career path she chooses after her success on TV and now film. At times this feels like a live action cartoon, and that's not meant as criticism. It's pure fun, fantasy, and adventure cloaked in nostalgia; and the film is a fitting conclusion to a world class franchise.

Opens in theaters June 30, 2023.

I'll never understand the hate.

[benjaminskylerhill · 8/10 · 30 June 2023]

I understand some of the criticisms I've heard surrounding this final Jones outing; it's burdened by a handful of excessively bizarre ideas and an overabundance of characters.

But one criticism I'll never understand is that this is somehow disrespectful toward the Indiana Jones character-that it belittles him or mocks him in some way. I could not agree less with this.

What I saw today was a film made by a director who understands, respects, and loves this character. He crafted a hearty adventure story that adds depth to Jones and sends him off fondly.

Indiana and Helena are characters that are both shown to be capable, intelligent, and protective and they both save each other quite often. They are introduced as closed-off but they wear each others' emotional layers down over the course of the story in subtle, natural ways that really did affect me and make me feel something.

The film is shot and directed immaculately-the action is brisk yet hard and thrilling. Sure, the story's ambition requires a LOT of CGI, and it's more noticeable than it should be at times.

But that didn't stop me from loving the film because the script is smart, constantly shifting power dynamics and developing character to keep you invested in the world.

This is leagues better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and I really hope people avoid the hate train that's been building online and give this last adventure a chance in theaters.

A legend will face his destiny

[MB-reviewer185 · 6/10 · 7 July 2023]

I love Raiders of the Lost Ark from 1981, I like the second movie Temple of Doom from 1984, but I like the first movie more, I love the movie The Last Crusade from 1989 as much as the first movie, but I like it more than the second movie, and I thought the fourth movie Kingdom of the Crystal Skull from 2008 was mediocre, with the first three movies being better. The fifth and last movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) was good and a good ending to the character, with it being better than the fourth movie, and little better than the second movie, but I still think the first and third movie is better.

Despite his age, Harrison Ford is still great as Indiana Jones many years later; he is retiring from his job, and he is watching how the world changes around him since his younger years. Going on this last adventure to find something a friend of his was looking for, and to stop the villain from getting his hands on it, while also dealing with his goddaughter who wants it for her own reasons. I like how Indy is getting tired of doing what he is doing but also still has some love for adventure, he was also good in action scenes in the certain places they go to.

Indy's goddaughter Helena played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge was not bad, I would have liked more done with her character by showing how she became the way she is, or how she could have learned certain things that are useful on the adventure, along with her sidekick named Teddy who was like Short Round from Temple of Doom. I liked the main villain Dr. Voller played by Mads Mikkelsen; his plan involving the Dial was interesting with his plans with the Nazis, and that he has a backstory involving an interaction with Indiana Jones; he was not much of an archaeologist, he knew and used math more to use in his plan that involves time.

The opening involves a de-aged Harrison Ford that does look good, but sometimes the voice can sound older than he looked but also it would fit. The opening was great, it looked like the original movies and felt like them with a great action sequence that also sets up the main villain; all the action scenes are fun, nicely shot, suspenseful, and fast paced. Director James Mangold did a wonderful job giving this movie the same look and feel as the original movies directed by Steven Spielberg. The locations or caves they go through look cool, and interesting on how they tie to major points in history.

The third act will divide some people, but because of other weird things that happen in the earlier movies, it was not that hard to believe; leading to an ending that is sweet and a nice end for the character. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) was a nice ending that had callbacks to the earlier movies, great action, a fantastic musical score from John Williams, and Harrison Ford giving his all in his last movie as this famous character. This movie is not flawless, but I had fun with it, and I think fans will too.

It should have been a party, it felt like a funeral.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 3/10 · 4 October 2023]

Poor, how many of us grew up loving Harrison Ford's Indie? The super cool action hero, brave and fearless, with a sense of humour... that wasn't the character I saw here.

The first fifteen minutes or so, I loved, it felt like a scene from Temple of Doom, terrific, action packed, a heroic Indie, sadly the rest of the film very, very poor. I came away from the cinema feeling depressed, he's now a sad character, but fear not, Helena, the epitome of privilege will save the day.

Horrible CGI effects, way too many, some of them looked awful, I can't believe some of the scenes made it through to the final cut.

Ford put his usual effort in, how sad though that Indie ended this way, Disney you've well and truly done it again, that's another much loved franchise sent down the pan.

I get the appeal of Fleabag, but Phoebe Waller Bridge was totally miscast, Helena was just loathsome, conceited, arrogant, too smarmy, what on Earth were they thinking?

I'm genuinely stunned at how positive some of the reviews are for this movie, having recently watched Temple of Doom, and loving every minute, then watching this mess.....

Sorry, I thought this was abysmal. It should have been a fun send off, instead is was just depressing.

3/10.

Better than what I expected.

[Flak36 · 8/10 · 29 June 2023]

I just returned from the theatre and now I finally have my own opinion after so many mixed reviews. Those who hate it exaggerate just as they did with Crystal Skull.

I know that nobody asked for a fifth movie. But they made one and fortunately for us it's good. It truly is and it doesn't have to be perfect.

There were three or four moments where I didn't like Helen. I believe the vast majority of fans know what I'm talking about and agree with it. The rest of the movie is fantastic, including the opening action sequence in 1944 with the de-ageing.

The finale was something I would never have guessed and I loved it. No spoilers. If you're like me and you're worried that this movie might suck go watch it. You will enjoy it.

Where's the humour?

[SoumikBanerjee1996 · 6/10 · 4 September 2023]

Indiana Jones movies were not always about the action or the grandeur, and they also showcased significant character dynamics, convincing comedic punches and, most importantly, the quirky, over-the-top nature imbued deeply in their expositions.

All the things that this newer reboot/expansion has missed out on.

Now, many might argue that modern-day filmmaking necessitates a modern-day approach and new-age sensibilities, and I could have agreed to that had it not been a part of a widely celebrated franchise!

When you think of an expansion, taking the reins of a beloved series, you're obliged to give the audience a fan service. There's only so much room available for amendments. I like James Mangold as a director and adored some of his previous works (Logan, Ford vs. Ferrari). I do believe he's a capable filmmaker, but he hadn't done justice here.

The kind of comedy that I treasured during my visits to the previous entries of the series was nowhere to be found. Phoebe Waller-Bridge seemed like a misfit in this universe, and as if that wasn't bad enough, the pacing was also horrendous. The 150 minutes of runtime occasionally wears you down; you would feel the stretch of time, and that's not a good indication.

The only positives to take away from this film are the barrage of action blocks and Mr. Jones himself. I've always cheered for Mr. Ford in this character, and I genuinely believe he was born to play this role, and he does play it effortlessly every time. This was no exception. It's such a pleasure to watch him play this character.

We will miss you, Indy!

They Rise of Skywalker-ed Indiana Jones.

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 4/10 · 30 June 2023]

With a heavy heart, I think I have to concede that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is not good. It's probably even bad, because even the parts that are sort of entertaining ultimately disappoint.

Take for example the prologue with a de-aged Harrison Ford. The technology used to do it is impressive, and only looked awkward in a couple of shots for me. It's Indy adventuring during the end of World War II, and it almost captures the adventure/action you'd want. However, it's so dimly lit that barely anything can be seen. It's probably to disguise the de-aging, but it's disappointing. The stuff you can see isn't particularly great, but it fares better than the next couple of big action scenes.

These are spaced out over the next 80 to 90 minutes. Said 80 to 90-minute stretch is honestly very boring. Harrison Ford is trying, and John Williams' score is pretty good. I usually like Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but her character didn't work for me. Barely any of the humor landed. The action is incredibly dull and quite often poorly shot. Ford himself isn't in much of the action, which is understandable, but it also begs the question of why they even bothered trying to make an action movie with an 80-year-old man.

I swear characters enter a hotel at night, and they come out the front door five minutes later and it's the middle of the day. Why did they bring John Rhys-Davies back without giving him anything to do? Why was Antonio Banderas in this for like, five minutes? Why do they think audiences will care that Banderas and Toby Jones play "friends" of Indiana Jones, even if they've never been seen or mentioned before this film? Why does Hollywood keep wasting Mads Mikkelsen?

The final half-hour is sort of fun, but it concludes very abruptly and awkwardly. Some people will hate where the movie goes regardless, but I thought it came close to giving the whole thing a pulse. The final scene itself sounds like it should work on paper, but it did nothing for me emotionally. As I walked home, I liked the movie less and less, the more I thought about it.

It's so lifeless and uninspired, and even if maybe a third of it is passable, the rest is a combination of boring and baffling. Even if you're a big fan of the series, I wouldn't bother. This is a good deal worse than the other four.

Better than Crystal Skull, but still completely unnecessary

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 28 June 2023]

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but it's still completely unnecessary. I consider Dial of Destiny to be a second chance at an appendix to Indy's story. The plot of this movie never seems to get out of second gear. In fact, I was surprised when I realized the climax of the film had passed. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is fine in her role, but she seems to be trying to steal the spotlight at times. And while the de-aging visual effect has improved, it just doesn't look quite right. For me, Indiana Jones is still a trilogy that concludes with the Last Crusade.

please stop messing with classic movie heroes...

[Special-K88 · 7 September 2023]

For likely no reason other than a quick cash grab, famed archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is on screen yet again to do what he usually does: track down a MacGuffin, in this instance being the Archimedes Dial, an invaluable artifact possessing Antikythera properties. In 1969, crotchety old Indy is beset with varying personal problems, but still attempting to educate a younger generation of students until he's needed for the latest search. Oh yeah, they threw in a goddaughter for Indy, presumably to raise the stakes. A bit of nostalgia early on, but really brings nothing to the table afterwards...Mangold has a proven track record as a director, but it's unclear what he's trying to accomplish here; there isn't an exceptional story, there's little to no excitement, there's not even a truly adventurous feel which was such a key component in all of the original films. Even at his advanced age an elder, quippy Ford is still quite engaging to watch, and there are some new characters, too bad they aren't interesting and exist only to service a manufactured plot. There's action, banter, globetrotting, nice scenery, some callbacks, and other stuff, but in terms of pure entertainment where's the true value in any of it? How's this for an idea: instead of dragging down established and iconic cinematic characters in a cynical attempt to try and score big bucks with contemporary audiences who weren't even alive when they originated, just make a new movie altogether. **

Hits the Notes But Runs Into Many Issues

[ThereelscoopwithKK · 6/10 · 12 July 2023]

Overall the movie stayed true enough to its roots and it's still acceptable in the Indy series but just barely.

Pros:

• hits the Indiana Jones cues with some nice Easter eggs
• evokes some nostalgia
• opening sequence feels very Indiana Jones like.

• still an adventure
• Salah returns

Cons:

• overly long run time, poor camera angles on the action sequences
• incredibly large plot holes. More than ever the villain just seems to always know where they're going and arrives at the perfect time.

• the acting is quite poor and wooden.

• the script has weird jokes that don't really hit.

• new things about the Dial of Destiny are just made up on the fly, you still don't know exactly how it works by the end.

• the face editing on Indiana Jones in the opening sequence doesn't match the voice.

Really?

[boblipton · 7/10 · 9 July 2023]

I had a great time looking at this movie, until I started to think about it and what it meant. Here's 81-year-old Harrison Ford portraying 65-year-old Indiana Jones in feats of derring-do that would have put me in the hospital, if I was lucky, at 30. The movie was preceded by coming attractions of movies that feature 70-year-old Liam Neeson taking on a maniac who has planted bombs everywhere, and sixty-two year old Tom Cruise saving the world and his wife by running very fast and jumping a motorcycle off a cliff, even though the mission is impossible.

I am old enough to remember when Clark Gable did his own stunts in THE MISFITS, and promptly died of a heart attack. He was fifty-nine when he died. It's certainly true that people can keep active and healthy and relatively youthful looking longer than they used to. Neither do I expect any sensible movie star to say "Certainly I am fit and quite able to do this, but keep your tens of millions of dollars, Mr. Producer." Likewise, the movie industry hasn't come up with much in the way of fresh ideas since W. K. L. Dickson directed BLACKSMITH SCENE in 1893. Nor should they. Their job is to take hundreds of millions of dollars, shepherd them through the movie-making process like Oscar Meyer moving cow parts through the frankfurter-making process, and come out with something north of however much moolah went in. Since at least 1893, audiences have demonstrated time and again that originality serves little to no purpose in the effort. The wise producer has taken heed.

And so, men -- and women, since Jane Fonda has been forced from retirement -- who should be spending their golden years enjoying their well-earned leisure, or engaging in roles that reflect the wisdom and dignity, and even problems that used to accrue to our elders to so do -- continue to pretend to run fast, get shot, and bounce back like rubber balls. And why do they do it? Because the producers keep offering them absurd sums of money. And the producers do that because we, the movie-going public, insist on it. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proven himself a smart and wise enough guy to get himself elected governor of California, and remains a voice of reason, passion, compassion, and love of democracy in our often fraught times. Yet he's still in demand in the movies, but only as a cigar-chomping tough guy toting a machine gun like it's a pea shooter and intoning "I'll be back."

He shouldn't have to. He only does it because many people, my age and younger, refuse to admit that we're getting older, and it's time to put away the juvenile fantasies that amused us when we were fourteen. Haven't we grown tired of sniggering at the same things over and over again? Haven't we grown up at all? Don't new problems and pleasures occupy us, or did we cease to grow more than half a century ago? Must the same people put on the same costumes and perform the same roles yet again, because we insist on being adolescents until they drag all our corpses from our Assisted Living facilities and dispose of the remains in whatever fashion is fashionable?

No, this is a very enjoyable movie. But until we, the movie-watching public decide to grow up, neither will the movies.

Indiana Jones and the Kitchen Sink

[TheFearmakers · 6/10 · 1 July 2023]

For diehard defenders of the entire INDIANA JONES franchise (not just those who feel that RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK stands alone since it was never called INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK), they'll throw the titular Ark of the Covenant coming alive with floating spirits whenever the later episodes go too far into the fantasy or, for the last two ventures, science-fiction and/or science-fantasy realm... but had RAIDERS ended up with Indy in Jerusalem B. C. or seated at The Last Supper for THE LAST CRUSADE, well, then...

To give one small thing away with DIAL OF DESTINY would blow the entire cover, but basically new helmer James Mangold deliberately makes the Steven Spielberg action-directing-playbook a helluva lot noisier and way more needlessly violent: anyone helping-out the now extremely-aged and initially grouchy Jones will wind up quickly dead, making those random map-scattered characters not matter much beyond moving the bombastic adventure from one point to another -- in itself an important action-packed aspect which is often done decently enough...

But the worst fan reviews have gone to the newest sidekick in Indiana's goddaughter played by the extremely tall and cocky Phoebe Waller-Bridge, actually more an attempted female version of the selfishly-driven RAIDERS French archeologist/middleman-heavy, Belloq, wanting fast cash for what's pricelessly meant as a museum artifact...

Which is what Harrison Ford is at this point... an artifact... and the movie plays the old gruff sore-boned fella not only too much at times, but the randomly rejuvenated "I've been doing this stuff all along" hero doesn't seem very natural while, during various pockets of chase sequence escapades, the plot gets dizzy in a tiresome and complicated balancing act...

Following the too-often-separated goals of Jones, the goddaughter Helena (with her own spry child sidekick, basically a sidekick's sidekick), and the central German Nazi, here played by Mads Mikkelsen, donning an omnipresent dull frown despite the usual Indy-villain obsession of obtaining the impossible by any means possible ie shadowing Jones since he always gets there first...

Making DIAL ultimately feel more like a high-priced, multi-level video game (in particular the de-aged young Harrison Ford prologue) but that often feels maneuvered by a true franchise fan, trying their best to present a sky's-the-limit finale that ironically only works when it's not trying so hard to be... an INDIANA JONES movie.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

[allmoviesfan · 8/10 · 1 July 2023]

So happy to have Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones - the iconic Indiana Jones - back on the big screen. Some impressive CGI work to make Indy a young man again as he battles the Nazis at the end of World War Two before events fast forward about twenty years, though the Nazis are still the bad guys. I've always said that Indiana Jones is at his best when battling the Nazis, and it is true again in the fifth and final instalment of the series. Indiana Jones is a world-weary, basically-retired archaeologist when he is roped into one last adventure, basically against his will. The fedora is there, the whip, the impish grin and the occasional one-liner. So are the big action set pieces that have made the series so popular, and I liked the nods to Father Time (which I guess no one can escape) that permeate the movie, as Indiana Jones looks to his future, whilst fighting a foe from his younger days, with a couple of well-designed cameos from familiar faces. A delight to sit in the cinema and watch a fitting conclusion to one of my favourite film series. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

Unexpectedly entertaining

[justahunch-70549 · 7/10 · 30 December 2023]

The world could certainly have lived without this 5th sequel to a great movie, but it's far, far better than the last one and it has quite a few merits that I really wasn't expecting. Plot wise it's just more of the same hunting and fighting for antiquities with the Nazis with a tomboy female sidekick to assist along with a small kid. That sidekick is this film's secret weapon. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is just made for this and she is a delight throughout. I was initially very turned off by the idea of de-aging Harrison Ford, but it is very well done and while it occasionally briefly looks unreal, for the most part it works well. I don't approve of the process, but that's for another discussion. It kind of makes me sad that that person doesn't exist anymore, but the whole movie is about nostalgia and action which is just about nonstop from beginning to end. I haven't any idea why Antonio Banderas is here in a teeny tiny role of no significance. Has the feel of parts being left on the cutting room floor. What can I say?! I expected to dislike it and I found it quite enjoyable and I assume, as well as hope, that this is the finale!

No Country For Old Men

[petra_ste · 5/10 · 2 July 2023]

In The Monkey's Paw (spoilers for a 100 years old horror classic, I guess), the protagonists, after the death of a loved one, use a cursed artifact to bring him back, only to find a shambling undead monstrosity knocking at their door.

Being a movie nerd in these days is a similar experience: the franchises you loved as a kid keep coming back, and for a while, maybe after a decent trailer, you are happy and optimistic... but then you see them and regret their return.

In fact, Hollywood just can't let a beloved series end at the right moment. Alien should have ended with Aliens, and it got a diarrhea of terrible sequels, prequels and spin-offs; Terminator with T2, and I've lost count of the reboots; Star Wars with Return of the Jedi, and it got the awful sequels (I'm giving the prequels a pass because they at least tried to tell an interesting story)...

... and, of course, Indiana Jones should have ended with The Last Crusade. It would have been an amazing trilogy (I have my issues with Temple of Doom but oh boys, is it looking better in retrospect), and now it has not one but two pointless sequels.

So, is this one better or worse than Skull? I'd say more or less on par: not terrible and unwatchable but clunky and mediocre.

Ford was my favorite actor as a kid ("Imagine being both Indy and Han Solo!"), and he gives it all here, but the sad truth is, he was already too old in Skull, and that was 15 years ago.

Mangold is a solid director but Indy movies live and die on the strength of their set-pieces, and he isn't prime Steven Spielberg. Then again, who is? Not even Spielberg himself nowadays, since the set-pieces in Skull already sucked.

Mangold keeps the camera too close so we do not get the geography of the action; his set-pieces are all momentum and no triumphant release. See the scene with the underwater relic and the eels, a cool premise which peters out into nothing. Also, the protagonists (especially Indy) rarely if ever do anything COOL to resolve the action - a crack of the whip, a last-second dive: they are just there, ping-ponging between different obstacles.

Story construction is bloated, with pointless characters (the governative agents, the Moroccan mobster), setups without payoffs ("continental drift") and endless tedious exposition: a scene with Waller-Bridge (moderately less annoying than I was expecting, but it was a low bar) smugly decrypting a tablet with a clue feels like the longest ten hours I've ever spent in a movie theater.

Here's a hint, scriptwriters: characters dealing with treasure hunt clues is only interesting if we, the audience, can also SEE the clue and GUESS the possible answer. Otherwise, it's like watching someone on the bus mumble as he does his Sudoku, and you can't even peek over his shoulder.

Dial of Destiny takes a weird turn in the last act and I sort of wish they had embraced the sheer cheesiness of it. I enjoyed a couple of scenes (the prologue is decent enough), but, if you absolutely need a good Indy sequel, play the old adventure game The Fate of Atlantis.

5/10.

Mind-blowing attention to detail - loved it!

[zeki-4 · 8/10 · 28 June 2023]

I almost gave up all hope. Every action blockbuster nowadays are either defying gravity, mostly shot in front of a green screen or simply lacks an engaging plot. Maybe I'm getting too old. But 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' certainly made me feel young again.

No, it is not as great as the first three of course, and yes, there is the occasional use of CGI, but seeing real people doing real stunts in real locations on the silver screen is what made me fall in love with action movies in the first place.

What sticks out as a positive surprise is the production design. Case in point: There's an actionscene which takes place during a huge parade in New York. When they shot the scenes every store and facade were made to look like New York in 1969. Posters, merhandise, etc. You hardly see this in the movie, but the meticulous attention to detail is felt throughout the movie.

I also really like the themes of this movie. A perfect fit for the swan song of the legend, Indiana Jones.

It's not so much about what you believe, it's how hard you believe it.....

[FlashCallahan · 7/10 · 4 July 2023]

Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history.

Accompanied by his goddaughter, and a wannabe Short-Round, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA, and his henchmen, one who looks like Pat Roach, and one who Mangold must like because he was the bad guy in Logan.....

Did this film really need to be made? There are two camps in regards to this. For people who really disliked KOTCS, yes, because they wanted him to go out with a bang. And no, they should have left it with Last Crusade, and didn't really want to see Ford don the fedora one more time.

Did I enjoy it?

Through gritted teeth I say yes. But am I saying I enjoyed it because I love the franchise, and I can't bring myself to say it was a tad boring in places and I should have deserved it more because I grew up with Indiana Jones?

Time will tell, which is ironic considering the maguffin.

Ford as expected is brilliant, and we see a disillusioned, very different Indy in him. He's slightly bitter at the world because of something that happened a few years before, and he's weary, tired of everything around him, almost becoming an artefact himself, as he appears reluctant to accept the changing world around him.

The first twenty minutes is truly astonishing, and up there with the best set pieces of the franchise, but still the poorest of all of the films openings. And unfortunately the de-aging effects are pretty poor, and the fact that his voice sounds older is jarring at times, and really puts you off at times. But once we are on the train, it goes full pelt.

After that, it does go slightly downhill, and never reaches the heights of the opening. Waller-Bridge is a welcome addition to the franchise, and she holds her own against Ford, even though she can be slightly annoying at times. And she has her own Short-Round following her about. And guess what? They met the same way as Indy met Shorty.

Mikkelsen is truly wonderful as the big evil, and he oozes menace and charm in equal measures. This is one great villain, and Mikkelsen knows that his character is brilliant.

There is a really good chase sequence in the middle of the film, it's funny, pretty breathtaking, and harks back to the first three movies. Another highlight of the movie.

But there are a few negatives.

Banderas is wasted, and I feel that a lot of his scenes were left on the cutting room floor. He barely has any lines, and the scenes we see him almost depict him as a very stupid person. Seeing that he is on the main posters for this just made me slightly annoyed, as he must only have about two minutes of screen time. It's a real problem for me, how ever trivial it may seem.

Apart from one very touching scene, they reference the other films too bluntly, especially TOD, which is mentioned twice for some reason, and it's just a little cringey, especially when TOD is my favourite of the franchise (cinema trips with my dad we're golden days, that's why I love it).

And then there is the final act. Depending on how you feel, this could be genius, or just plain stupid. But seeing as he has found the Holy Grail, The Ark of The Covenant, and dealt with aliens, I'll let it pass. But it's so random it will make you think 'really?' for a hot second.

And one last thing, the film reminded me a little of Hudson Hawk. Both films have our heroes looking for different parts of an object across the world, and the object in question will change the world. But that's not a critique at all, just something I noticed.

So all in all, it's a fun movie. A little slow at times, but I could not see a reason to cut anything from the film to make it a little shorter. It's not great, but die hard fans will get something out of this.

A grower for sure.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Disappointment

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 28 June 2023]

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens as archaeologist Indiana attempts to wrest the fabled Spear of Longinus from the Nazis. When Indy gets his hands on the artefact, it turns out to be a fake, a worthless reproduction -- ironic, because in the prologue, Jones himself is a reproduction, an unconvincing CGI version of the young Harrison Ford, and the film as a whole is a worthless imitation of the far better films that preceded it (yes even Crystal Skull is better).

Incredibly, the digitally de-aged Ford isn't the worst thing about this latest instalment in a franchise that should have hung up its fedora for good after the last debacle.

Firstly, the cast is awful. This is a Raiders film, so we have to have Ford on board, but he really is way too old now for this kind of movie -- an octogenarian doing the things he does in this film is laughable. We get Toby Jones as Indy's sidekick in the overlong prologue (there's something about him that really grinds my gears) and Mads Mikkelsen as the villain (what inspired casting -- NOT!), but worst of all are Phoebe Waller-Bridge as horsey heroine Helena, and HER sidekick, a mono-browed teenage pickpocket named Teddy (Ethann Isidore). Thought that Willy and Short Round were kinda irritating? This pair take insufferable to a whole new level.

Then there's the not inconsiderable absence of Spielberg behind the camera: he might have messed up with the last Indy film, but with the original trilogy under his belt, it's easy to be a little forgiving of one dud. James Mangold, on the other hand, deserves no such goodwill: he's taken a much loved character and put him in some of the most uninspired action scenes imaginable: say what you want about the 'nuking the fridge' scene, or Mutt swinging with the apes, but at least those were memorable. Dial of Destiny is one forgettable set-piece after another, directed with zero flair (the sloppy editing not helping matters).

Now let's consider the script. Indiana Jones does time travel. It's every bit as stupid as Indiana Jones meeting aliens, but somehow it also manages to be incredibly dull and tedious, with none of the sense of wonder and magic that one expects from the franchise. I only watched the film an hour ago and already I'm struggling to recall certain scenes, it's all so unremarkable. There's plenty of predictable fan service, but that only serves to remind the viewer of how much better the original films were. To make matters worse, the whole mess is dragged out to an excruciating two hours and thirty-four minutes.

In short, we can add Indiana Jones to the ever growing list of once great franchises that Disney has purchased and then stomped all over. 3/10 -- I wasn't expecting it to be great, but this was worse than I imagined.