Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny uses the final ride of an iconic character to re-examine the role of history itself

Courtesy Disney/Lucasfilm

Indiana Jones has always been a hero outside the norm. From his inception, he was a throwback to an even earlier era. Now, just over 40 years later, it’s time for his latest and (likely) final outing, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. While this entry is an improvement on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it’s largely still only a “fine” time.

Beginning in 1945, Dial of Destiny kicks off with a rousing prologue at the tail end of WWII. Nazis are facing the fall of Berlin and are moving Hitler’s prized artifacts to a safe location. Among them is the Lance of Longinus, a relic Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his companion Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) want to recover. Just as the Lance is within reach, they learn of a far rarer artifact, the Antikythera or Archimedes Dial, which is under the protection of Dr. Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen).

Taken on its own, the entire first act is an absolute thrill ride, and the closest director James Mangold (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma) ever comes to capturing the magic of Steven Spielberg. Nazis are punched a great deal. A train is derailed spectacularly. Lots of bad guys do the Wilhelm Scream. Though 23 minutes is a tad long for an opening, it’s well-earned.

Courtesy Disney/Lucasfilm

However, the prologue is also home to one of Dial of Destiny‘s main weaknesses, featuring an awkwardly de-aged Ford. The use of that technology got hype early on in the media rounds, but there are hiccups. When shadows hit just right or the action is especially fast, it appears believable. Whenever the camera lingers too long, the effect just looks odd.

Fortunately, our main action, hitting in 1969, prominently features Old Man Indy. Where once students flocked to Henry Jones Jr.’s seminars and wrote “love you” on their eyelids, now the few attending students can barely keep their eyes open. He’s being ushered into retirement just as Indy’s goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) — daughter of Basil — appears. Their reunion is cut short as a band of goons (Boyd Hallbrook, Shauntee Renee Wilson) hired by Voller, arrive demanding Jones hand over half of the Antikythera. Suddenly the duo is whisked off on a globetrotting adventure with the fate of history itself hanging in the balance.

In a movie where characters are racing against a clock, Dial of Destiny never adds much weight to the stakes. The original trilogy mixed action and archeology with genuine excitement, here everyone’s going through the motions. A chase is here because it has to happen. The bad guys show up unexpectedly there because the rules say so. The original Indiana Jones trilogy, and the movies it was based on, set a template that this film is now a slave to.

The movie fares better when focusing on character. Though Ford’s long been criticized for giving lethargic performances over the last decade, he gives his all here. He still has the playful charm, but also adds a level of vulnerability and world-weary pathos to the aging adventurer. If he’s the heart of the film, Waller-Bridge is its secret weapon. Helena is the perfect foil for Indy, helped by the fact that Mangold and the film’s other writers never make her play second fiddle. As Voller, Mikkelsen gives the character extra panache, and a genuinely interesting big-picture view. Never has the phrase “if you want something done, do it yourself” come across with such understated gusto. 

At the end of the day, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an okay movie. Neither great nor truly terrible. Save for a thrilling prologue, the other memorable thing it has going for it is a climax that redefines the word “preposterou”—your mileage may vary.

Courtesy Disney/Lucasfilm