Legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), has returned to what is the film as his final outing in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”. The film is the first in the series since Disney acquired Lucasfilm and the first not to benefit from involvement by Gorge Lucas or the direction of Steven Spielberg. James Mangold has taken on directing duties and faces the challenge of delivering a satisfying solution to the series and one that atones for the disappointing “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”.
The film opens in the waning days of World War II when the imminent defeat of the Nazis has caused a mass exodus of their plundered archaeological treasures which draws Jones into the mix.
The digital de-aging technology is impressive as we get an extended sequence of the younger Jones and his colleague Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), in a frantic and at times humorous segment that evokes memories of some of the finer moments from the series.
Flash forward to 1969 as the world prepares to celebrate the return of the lunar astronauts, Jones is dealing with the pending retirement from teaching as well as issues in his personal life.
When a figure from his past named Helena (Phoene Waller-Bridge) who happens to be his Goddaughter evokes memories of a disagreement with her father several years earlier over the fabled Dial of Destiny which Indiana and her father were able to retrieve half of earlier in the film.
At the same time former Nazi scientists Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), who is receiving his kudos as a key part of sending men to the moon and back, plots to obtain both parts of the Dial and with his legion of deadly assassins in tow, sets his sights on Jones and Shaw.
Things become even more complicated when Jones is framed for murder and forced to flee in pursuit of Shaw sees archaeological discoveries as nothing more than a financial gain versus their historical significance.
From New York to Tangiers, Greece, and other locales, Jones, Shaw, and her sidekick Teddy (Ethan Isidore), this battle against each other as well as the menace that constant Voller presents as they attempt to decipher the clues to combine the Dial and keep it from those who use it evil.
The film takes its time getting to the action as it is interspersed throughout the film and while not the FX-laden visual abundance that modern audiences have come to expect, they are generally satisfying and factor in that the title character is a senior citizen pushing 80 and as such does some remarkably impressive action when called upon even though he does in one scene to lying about his various injuries and trials that he has faced over the years and the toll they take it upon his body.
Some fans may say there was not enough action for the hook was not as compelling as in previous adventures. While this is certainly a valid thought process the film should delight true fans of the series as it is an appropriate look at the aging adventurer as he is pulled back into the field once again. There is also the matter of the new music from John Williams which sets the tone for the film well.
Ford and Waller-Bridge work well with one another and there are some surprise guests that appear along the way one should delight fans. I found the movie to be more satisfying than the last two films in that the focus was on the character and themes of life, loss, aging, and doing what was right versus an abundance of action around a treasure hunt.
It will be different things to different people but for me, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is a loving send-off to the beloved character and one that cements the iconic Jones as a true cinematic classic.
4 stars out of 5
