'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' Is a Fitting End for Indy
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It's been 15 years since we last saw Indiana Jones on screen, and just over 40 years since the Nazi-punching archeologist discovered that the Ark of the Covenant was real. That's a lot of time—enough to possibly forget that Indy has, over the course of four films before returning for Dial of Destiny, also proved the existence of Jesus Christ, the Holy Grail, mind-controlling blood magic, and ancient aliens. It's the perfect combination of James Bond and crackpot History Channel shows, with each new entry into the franchise sending the college professor barreling into another adventure as if he didn't just learn the secrets of the universe.
But Indy's complete indifference to these mind-altering revelations is also part of his everlasting charm. Though he possesses knowledge of every religious object and international fable throughout history, Indy is still someone who won't believe anything is real until he has it in his hands. He's the kind of guy who screams "That belongs in a museum!" way before he ever stops to consider just how a holy chalice brought his father back to life in The Last Crusade. Chalk it up to movie magic, but the success of such a lovable, unmoved rogue also rests largely on the shoulders of Harrison Ford.
The 80-year-old actor has made a career of playing tough, smart-mouthed heroes. Han Solo stuck it to the Stormtroopers, Rick Deckard stuck it to the replicants, and Indiana Jones stuck it to the Nazis. So, as it was time to say goodbye in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Blade Runner 2049, it was only natural that the Hollywood great also received an official sendoff in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Luckily for audiences, a grand farewell is all Dial of Destiny had in mind. While other franchises attempt to spend over two hours straddling the line between thanking the old guard while also ushering in the new, the fifth Indiana Jones film plays it straight. No multiverses, no teasing spinoffs, no one last last ride. This is it, and it's a fitting end. Back in The Crusade, Indiana Jones uttered one of the greatest lines in American action films: "Nazis, I hate those guys." That spirit lives on. The villains in Dial of Destiny? Nazis. The Nazi? Mads Mikkelsen. The punching? Right in his face.
Director James Mangold (Logan) does his best to take over from the great Steven Spielberg, but it's a tough act to follow. Admittedly, some of that charm is lost in sequel exposition and familiar action sequences. Mangold is still forced to explain why certain characters aren't here anymore, why Indy is all alone, and why an 80-year-old man may have trouble performing the same unbelievable feats of his past. Thankfully, that's where digital de-aging comes into play, and it's surprisingly convincing. Ford is right—it's the most impressive use of de-aging technology I've seen yet.
But past the exciting train-fight flashback that opens the film, we spend most of Dial of Destiny dealing with the same problem that now threatens Indiana Jones: time. The ancient dial is said to hold the power to send someone back into the past—something the Nazis would naturally jump at the chance to acquire. As Mikkelsen's Dr. Vuller tells us, "You didn't win the war, Hitler lost."
But Indy can't do it himself—not as this age. So, we're introduced to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Helena Shaw. Much like Shia LaBeouf in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, she's a next-gen adventurer related to another one of Indy's rolodex of archaeologist buddies who has gone crazy in pursuit of an ancient artifact. She wants the dial for her own personal purposes, but Indy just wants what he's always wanted. The dial belongs out of Nazi hands, and in a museum. So, he's forced into yet another international adventure to save the world. The two have great chemistry together, and Indy's lack of an I 'm too old for this shit attitude once he gets moving is actually refreshingly on brand for his character.
The journey sends them on a mission to discover a life lesson that's quite simple. While other summer blockbusters such as The Flash shove so much content in your face that it makes the reward feel meaningless, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny does it right. Especially for a character who has studied history all their life, the message of this final Indy outing hits home with purpose. You can't erase your problems by changing the past, but you can always reminisce about the good.
That's called nostalgia, and it's dominated reboots and sequels in Hollywood for the past decade. It doesn't always work, but it's employed most fittingly in a film like Indiana Jones 5. We're saying goodbye to Indy, but it's no funeral. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny gives audiences the chance to spend a couple more hours having fun with Indiana Jones again. There's only a legacy to celebrate when the film his theaters on June 30, right alongside the Indiana Jones we know and love.
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