The best part about ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny’….well, OTHER than seeing Harrison Ford return as the title character, ’cause even though he’s 80 years old now, it’s STILL cool…is that the bow on this cinematic gift doesn’t have to be 2008’s ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’. Shia LeBeouf swinging through trees with digital monkeys would’ve been an awful way to wrap up one of film’s greatest series.
And while ‘The Dial Of Destiny’ isn’t a masterpiece – and did anyone really expect it to be?? – it does capture enough of the rollicking, sentimental old school matinee magic to work. Director James Mangold is no Spielberg….but what he does with Indy is much the same that he did with X-Men’s Wolverine in ‘Logan’; he embraces the nostalgia of the prime character to such a passionate point, everything else around him, good OR bad, is coming along for the ride, whether they like it or not.
The film begins with a flashback to 1943 and, thanks to de-aging technology, a much younger fedora-wearing, bullwhip-cracking Ford is wrestling with Nazis (as usual) aboard a train full of priceless historical artifacts. It’s such an ambitious kickoff, the following 60 minutes or so almost appear plodding….but by Jones, what a way to start!
The main story is based in 1969, in fact, the tale picks up in July of that year, the day Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Jones, weary and weathered not only physically but mentally, is retiring from his job because his students just don’t seem to care, bailing on his marriage with Marion (Karen Allen), and living alone, miserable over losing a loved one to the Vietnam War. What this old archaeologist needs is an adventure.
Enter his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who is desperate for Indy’s help in seeking out a mysterious device known as the Antikythera, capable of altering time. After a bit of reluctance….okay, a LOT of reluctance….doctor Jones sets off with Helena to locate the device before a former Nazi turned NASA engineer (former Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen) can beat them to it.
‘The Dial Of Destiny’ has its peaks, its low points, its fair share of thrills, Nazis getting punched in the face, a finale that’s a bit of a stretch, but best of all, no digital monkeys. I’ve long said, this series should’ve ended back in 1989 with ‘The Last Crusade’ for it was as close as you’re going to come to the perfect sequel and the perfect book end for Indiana Jones. After seeing ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny’, I still stand by that.
….but at least we didn’t have to close with ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’. That’s a blessing.