Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 12+.
STORY: B-
Indiana Jones dons the hat and grabs his whip for one last adventure. This time he’s on the hunt for the Dial of Destiny, an ancient artifact built by Archimedes that supposedly has the power to predict fissures in the fabric of time and space.
The film is just over two-and-a-half hours and never slows down from its breakneck sprint. You’ll look back and remember quieter moments of exposition, but the sensational action set pieces appear at such a fierce pace you barely get a chance to catch your breath.
That velocity makes for a wildly entertaining film. But it also robs the story of the space needed to create emotionally resonant moments. There are a handful of stirring callbacks, but they feel more tacked on than earned, which is a shame when you consider the world has known the name Indiana Jones for 42 years.
PEOPLE: B+
Here is a short excerpt from my list of “Things I Hope I Can Do When I’m 80”: Eat an entire meal using (most of) the teeth I was born with. Tie my shoes. Drive. Walk. Breathe.
Steering a speedy bike taxi through the narrow streets of Tangiers, rock climbing, and deep sea diving are not on that list. I admire the heck out of Harrison Ford for even being able to act like he’s doing these things.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge brings a jolt of that fun, nontoxic British naughtiness to the proceedings. Helena is more complex than the trailer lets on. She’s also arguably the most intriguing female character this series has ever seen. One can easily imagine Helena being spun off into a possible Indiana Jones Cinematic Universe.
A small handful of beloved characters from previous films appear. They don’t get much screen time or many meaningful tasks to perform, but they’re used effectively in a “quality over quantity” sense.
FILM NERD STUFF: B-
John Williams’s score is as big of a knockout as Indy’s left hook. The original soundtrack’s familiar motif (da da DA- DAHH!, da da dahh!) pops up at just the right moments, signaling something big is about to happen. The newer material hits its heights during the action sequences. As deadly and dangerous as the action gets at times, the music is a reliable reminder that what we’re watching is meant to entertain and not horrify.
So much happens so quickly during most of those action pieces that we’re often left completely befuddled. We know the thing we’re watching simply must be extremely and rather thrilling, but most of the time we don’t really know why because it’s happening too fast or choppily.
ONE LAST RIDE (Elective Class): C
The sun starts to set behind the Tilt-a-Whirl. Kids complain to their parents, begging to stay just a couple more minutes. The taste of the funnel cake I ate four hours ago is still stuck in my braces, and its memory is smeared in powder sugar swirls across my shirt.
The park closes in ten minutes. My friends and I saunter toward the exit, satisfied by another most excellent day at the amusement park.
My best buddy seizes my arm and points. There’s no line at the roller coaster. We’ve ridden it four times already, and maybe we’ve had our roller coaster fill for the day, but there’s no way I’m not going to hop on for one last ride before closing time.
And it’s great, even though it’s not the same as that first ride I took this morning. Everything was electrifying and miraculous that first time I was whipped around the track. This time, it’s still fun but it’s too easy to predict every drop, every twist, and every turn. It’s comfortable, it’s fun, I’m happy I did it. But the hair on my arms doesn’t stand up this time.
The way I feel about that last roller coaster ride? That’s the exact way I feel about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
FINAL COMMENTS:
Indiana Jones enthusiasts absolutely need to see this movie. Action movie aficionados will also find a lot to love about it. But so much emphasis is placed on the action that the greatest action hero of all time doesn’t get anywhere near the GOAT send-off he deserves.