Indiana Jones is one of the most recognised characters of all time, and his movies have always had something special to them. After all, the original trilogy redefined and resurrected the adventure genre Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) cemented Harrison Ford as a mega star who will forever have two iconic characters to his name (the other, of course, being Han Solo) and also helped Steven Spielberg to confirm his status of one of the best directors of that era (which he promptly turned into one of the best directors of all time). I was (and still am) one of the few people who wasn’t as offended as the rest of the fans by Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2007). Yes, the movie has flaws (and they have been explored by thousands of others), but you can still have campy fun with it. The same, unfortunately, can’t be said about the latest (and final?) adventure of one Indiana Jones.
I need to clarify I was excited about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. I didn’t go to it being cynical or hoping this movie would be bad; why would I? I hoped James Mangold (who I always defended before he became “popular”) would have what it takes to give us one last hurrah, one last great Indy adventure. And he had all the “ingredients” that worked in the past, from witty woman sidekick (Phoebe Waller-Bridge was fun in this movie), child sidekick who saves the day, to old favourites returning (albeit for a few minutes in some instances), and he even gave Indy Nazis to fight against! Everything aligned, and this should have been at least enjoyable fun if nothing else. But instead of that, we got a bland adventure film that didn’t know how to use those ingredients. Think of it like this, if you gave Gordon Ramsey and me the same ingredients, he would make you a feast you won’t forget. I, knowing my way around the kitchen, would give you an ok meal. I wouldn’t necessarily burn anything or fuck it up, but you’d walk away with a different experience from having my meal especially compared to Gordon’s.
I understand it’s not fair to judge Mangold for not being Spielberg, and I am not, even though it might seem like it. But he invited that comparison when he went near a franchise that had never been directed by anyone except Steven. Plus, the one advantage Mangold has (or so I thought) worked against this movie. I always thought Mangold had no distinguishable style, as every movie he has ever made is different. That might sound like a backhanded compliment, but I assure you, it’s not. I have always admired directors who are solid enough that can do any genre. But it seemed like in this movie, he couldn’t give it the “something extra” this franchise has been known for, and yes, even the Crystal Skull had some set pieces that were fun.
That was another thing I never had “fun” with this movie. Yeah, there were some jokes, but nothing in typical “Indy” fashion. Every action sequence was shot up close with many cuts, and there was little to no of the “playful action” this franchise became known for, almost a staple. Everything here is “ok”. Every single action sequence is a perfectly fine action of 2023, but I couldn’t help but want more. This was supposed to be the big final movie in this franchise, one that could have escalated Mangold to similar heights as Steven if done correctly. I am afraid that didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure Mangold will get more movies and deliver some outstanding ones too, but with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, he just bit off more than he could chew.
There were a few things I liked about this movie. The already mentioned Phoebe I thought was a great addition; she delivered everything from action to comedy, and her character fit Indy’s world. I loved Mads Mikkelsen, and his villain was scary because you could tell how clever he was at every step of this adventure. The movie set him up as this alternative Indy, if he was a Nazi, knew his stuff, knew how to handle himself and was always a menacing presence. I also appreciated the scene towards the end with Marion, even though it was extremely short. One thing Mangold understood about this franchise was that Marion has always been the one true love in Indy’s life, and the ending felt just right.
However, the “ending” before this one… I wasn’t too sure about it. Without going into spoilers; yes, Indiana Jones has seen some things he couldn’t explain, as he says in the movie. But the ending of this one felt a bit too out there. I understood the sentiment, especially where Indiana’s character was coming from, but I think this will become the “Indy survives a nuke by hiding in the fridge” scene of this movie in the upcoming years. And that brings me to my last point.
I will make a prediction, and we will see in a couple of years whether I am right or not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if, due to this movie’s blandness, many will go back to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and appreciate it a bit more. I am not saying that suddenly there will be this massive uproar of love for that movie, but I can see a future when the dust has settled, and people will compare these two against each other they may find more appreciation for the previous movie. You can say many bad things about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it has problems for sure, but even from my memory (it’s been a couple of years since I have rewatched all Indiana Jones movies), it at least felt like an Indiana Jones movie. Now, we can debate the quality of it, sure, but Dial of Destiny misses that feeling, that playfulness. Again, I might be wrong here; only time will tell.
Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is as average as they come. It’s your stereotypical adventure movie that almost feels like a copy of an Indiana Jones movie rather than an official continuation. There are no big set pieces the classical Indy fanfare occasionally plays throughout it, but it never feels “earned” or right and everything reeks of CGI. I didn’t hate this movie by any means, but I also felt nothing toward it. That’s something I definitely didn’t expect when I sat down in the cinema, about to watch the last Indiana Jones movie, that it would leave me feeling cold towards it and that this will (unfortunately) be the best example of the word “average”.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke
