Welcome back to the blog readers. If there is something you guys should know about me, it is that I am a big fan of the Indiana Jones series of films (minus Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), which was okay) for their charm, rewatchability, and sense of fun and adventure. When I heard that this was coming, I obviously was hyped. When I found out who was directing it, I got even more hyped. Unfortunately, I was not able to make the theatrical release of this film and am watching it on Disney+ instead. Would this final installment of the franchise be worthy of the first three films? Stick around to find out.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was directed by James Mangold from a script by him, David Koepp, and Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, based on characters by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. The film stars Harrison Ford reprising his role of Indiana Jones for the final time along with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies reprising his role of Sallah, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen. In the film, Indiana Jones is recruited by his estranged goddaughter Helena to find a powerful artifact while being pursued by Jürgen Voller, a Nazi-turned-NASA scientist who wants to use it to alter the outcome of World War II.
As I said in the intro, the Indiana Jones franchise has a special place in my heart. Going into this film, however, I had heard of the mixed reviews and I got really nervous. I know I was probably too young to fully appreciate Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which I wound up not liking all too much), but the trilogy stands on its own. So I really hoped I would like this film. And unfortunately, I did not like this film very much. I FUCKING loved it. James Mangold can do no wrong for me right now. If he makes a film about paint drying, I will be there opening weekend. That is how much I love him as a director. Harrison Ford gives arguably his best performance as Indy, Phoebe Waller-Bridge stole the show, the commentary was impactful and the ending is so fucking heartwarming. I cannot wait to talk about this film in depth.
The buck starts and stops here with Harrison Ford, who quite possibly gives the performance of his lifetime as an Indiana Jones we have never seen. Ford carries a confidence that makes you believe in Indy's lack of it in his old age, and it makes his performance all the better. It feels like Ford hasn't skipped a single beat in his 80-year old age, and it probably is one of the most compelling performances of the year if I will be honest with you. And the fact that this story did not shy away from showcasing Ford's age is a testament to the dedication of the filmmakers. Speaking of James Mangold, he was able to get something out of Ford that we have not seen before. And I loved every second of it.
The next performance I want to talk about is that of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. I truthfully did not know a lot of her previous bodies of work, so this was really my first exposure to her. And I think she absolutely stole the show for me in this film. Waller-Bridge carries a sort of exuberance that got me hook, line and sinker from the get-go. There are certain points where her character Helena completely outshine Indy, and that is not an easy task to carry out. Her lovely confidence pairs very well with Ford's snob-like behavior, and it makes for a hell of a pairing that I am upset we will no longer see.
In terms of the other performances, Antonio Banderas is fun in his little cameo (also how dare you kill Puss in Boots!), Boyd Holbrook's character is just as snobby as Indy in this film (and I guess it worked because he was annoying), Toby Jones is literally in the film for 10 minutes (and I can honestly say the same for John Rhys-Davies; this one bothered me), Ethann Isidore was fun as the child sidekick that did a whole lot more than Ke Huy Quan honestly did, and Mads Mikkelsen is Mads Mikkelsen (basically awesome as always).
The story of this film is honestly incredible. There are two elements of the story that I want to discuss in detail. The first element is the fact that the story does not shy away from Indiana Jones's age. I would go on to argue that the story is dependent on this plot detail, and it makes for a very compelling watch because of it. Aside for the jokes in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, it was not mentioned much there, so I am glad we got that here. The second element of the story that I want to discuss is that of the theme of regret. Most of the characters in this film have regrets. Indy obviously has regrets involving his family and his life. Helena has regrets involving her father and the legacy he left her. Voller has different regrets in that he regrets how the war turned out (but that is not me justifying what the Nazis did in WWII; that shit is unredeemable). That theme of regret and guilt carries over through the entire film and it is amazing to see, especially when it all boils over at the end.
In conclusion, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a delightful and satisfying conclusion to the Indiana Jones series that "dials" up the heart and soul to eleven. Thank you all for reading and I hope you all have a happy and healthy new year.
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