Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny movie review: An audience-pleaser for the big screen

For the first time in 15 years (and for the fifth and final time), Harrison Ford returns to the role of the iconic Indiana Jones in the upcoming film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Does the summer blockbuster reignite the flame of nostalgia? Let’s dive in.

Archaeologist Indiana Jones is on a race against his Goddaughter, an old foe, and time to find an ancient artifact that can change the course of history. James Mangold directed the film, with Harrison Ford back as Indiana Jones, starring alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Ethan Isidore.

The film kicks off back in time, when Indiana Jones and his good pal Basil Shaw are trying to hunt down something amid a war going on. However, one thing leads to another, and the artifact they came for and the artifact they left with had far greater significance than they initially thought. As a result, Basil becomes overly obsessed, leading to Jones taking it from him. Many years later, Helena Shaw, Basil’s daughter, and Jones’s Goddaughter, comes looking for it.

I am unsure where to start when talking about this movie because I felt like three different movies and stories unfolding that never seemed to be cohesive. Because of this, I never felt connected to any level of the story that made me feel. Now, as a Blockbuster movie, I give grace to stories as long as you feed me plenty of action. Sadly, the film didn’t live up to the full potential we typically see from Blockbusters or Indiana Jones films.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a crowd-pleaser

Let’s break down what I enjoyed about the movie. Harrison Ford will always be a national treasure. By now, I hope you have watched him in the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, in which Ford is brilliant in. The actor is perfect as Indiana Jones and is a delight in this film. Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays Helena Shaw and is downright brilliant. She is one of the funniest people on the planet and thrives opposite Ford. Also, shout out to Ethan Isidore, who is great as Teddy.

I am somewhere in the middle regarding the action. Though Dial of Destiny does include some great action scenes, there are also several brutal sequences. You strike an unhealthy balance of highs and lows throughout this entire film. The film is a slog, and it feels long in so many different parts. I can’t believe this movie is two and a half hours because, honestly, it feels a lot longer. About forty minutes could have easily been removed.

Here’s the thing, I believe there is a good movie in this script if you take some of the stronger pieces of the film, ramp up a little of the action, and do not try to time travel. We could’ve had a fitting send-off that this franchise deserved if they simply stuck to what fans love about the movie series.

Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a crowd-pleaser in many ways, with audiences feeling nostalgic throughout the film. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that fans  will love this movie, and because of that, I have to give the film a recommendation.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters on June 30, 2023.