Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
Henry “Indiana” Jones (Harrison Ford) is one of the most iconic and legendary characters to ever grace the silver screen. The timeless archeologist hero returns once again(!) in Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny. Fifteen years have passed since his last monumental return in Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. It’s hard not to wonder if this entry is even necessary. Once in a blue moon, audiences are gifted with a well-crafted and excellent continuation to a beloved franchise à la Toy Story 4. Unfortunately, a lot of the time, we get lackluster, disappointing blockbuster franchise films like Jurassic World: Dominion or Terminator: Genisys. As a lifelong fan that grew up watching Indiana Jones on VHS, I hate to report that his latest film doesn’t quite meet the bar set by the previous installments.
Familiar Ground But A Little Less Fun
For the first time ever, a director other than the incomparable Steven Spielberg is directing an Indiana Jones film. Enter James Mangold to step in behind the camera. Now, Mangold is no doubt a talented director. He boasts an impressive resume of Academy Award-winning films including Ford V Ferrari & Walk The Line.
While he crafts some exciting and epic action set pieces in Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny, there always seems to be something not quite right. There is an extended sequence involving CGI de-aging technology that quickly wears out its welcome. It’s uncomfortably distracting and looks unnatural the more it is on screen. We are then treated to a couple of awesome chase sequences that are fun but are a little busy editing-wise. There are a couple of heartwarming and welcome cameos that don’t amount to much minus one in the final act. The reoccurring theme here is falling short, and as a whole, it represents the entire film.
Too Much Reality?
Both Harrison Ford & James Mangold have established that they wanted to explore the titular hero dealing with age and the inevitable end of his journey. Mangold previously delivered a similarly somber and heartbreaking reflection in the superhero film, Logan.
However, examining growing old and loss of purpose is not why I used to re-watch all of Indiana Jones’ previous adventures. I watched them over and over for pure escapism fun. It swept me away in something majestic and extravagant. Indiana Jones, the hero, is someone I can enjoy with comfort and joy. It is not that he cannot reflect the realities of life. Rather, it’s just that it feels counter-productive as to why the character even exists in the first place. This clashing of themes and principles makes for a journey that is much more of a downer than I had anticipated.
Not All Bad, But Not Enough
(Image courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd.)
There are indeed things to enjoy in this film despite what didn’t sit well with me. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Prime Video’s Fleabag) portrays Indiana Jones’ goddaughter, Helena Shaw. She brings an impressive lift both in terms of the story and with much-needed levity to counter the film’s underlying sorrow. Waller-Bridge is charismatic and likable, which makes her humorous moments genuine and not so corny. Although I prefer Ford’s father/son relationship with Shia LaBeouf in the previous film, the godfather/goddaughter dynamic works well here.
Mads Mikkelsen treads familiar ground as the film’s antagonist, Dr. Jürgen Voller. Mikkelsen has famously brought several other villains to life like Hannibal Lecter, Casino Royale‘s Le Chifre, or as Kaecilius in Doctor Strange.
He is a fine actor and does well enough, but there isn’t anything about his character that we haven’t seen many times over. Which again leads to what wasn’t working with the film.
The film sees a couple of firsts in the Indiana Jones mythology. For starters, there’s an engaging deep diving sequence in the Mediterranean Sea. We also have an epic chase through New York City which was my favorite action sequence overall. However, for all of those new ideas, we have several others that retread things we have seen before. There is also a huge, ambitious concept for the final act that is sure to make or break the audience’s satisfaction with the story. I, unfortunately, was not one of them.
Overall, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny is an entertaining adventure that checks off most of the boxes fans have come to expect. It’s just not quite the sendoff that they may have imagined, especially with an ending that is enjoyable but nowhere near as good as the previous two that came before it.
For more film reviews and news visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
A life long cinephile from the Bay Area in Northern California. Aside from having written for various outlets since 2019, I've been podcasting since 2020.
(Currently Co-Hosting the Geekly Goods Roundup)
When I'm not indulged in a ridiculous amount of media consumption or losing track of days on my Nintendo Switch, I can be found at concerts or playing basketball.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.