Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a 2023 action-adventure film directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote it with Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and David Koepp. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd., and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, the film is the sequel to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), and the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones film series.

The film stars Harrison Ford in his final portrayal of archaeologist Indiana Jones. John Rhys-Davies reprises his role as Sallah from earlier films, along with new cast members including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen.

It is the first film in the series not directed by Steven Spielberg nor with a story written by George Lucas, with Spielberg and Lucas serving as executive producers instead. It is also the first film in the series not to be distributed by Paramount, as Disney acquired the film rights following its acquisition of Lucasfilm; however, as per compensation by the said deal, Paramount retained a residual associate credit.

Plans for a fifth Indiana Jones film go back to the late 1970s when Lucas and Spielberg negotiated with Paramount for four sequels to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). Lucas began researching potential plot devices for a fifth film in 2008, although the project stalled for years. He passed the project to producer Kathleen Kennedy in 2012 when she became the president of Lucasfilm. Progress on a fifth film remained dormant while the company worked on the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Koepp was eventually hired to write the fifth film in 2016, with a release date set for 2019, although this was delayed several times due to rewrites. In 2018, Jonathan Kasdan was hired to replace Koepp, who returned to write in 2019 before eventually leaving the project. Spielberg was set to direct, but stepped down in 2020, with Mangold taking his place. Filming began in June 2021, taking place in various locations including the United Kingdom, Italy, and Morocco, and wrapped in February 2022.

The film’s plot picks up in 1969, where American archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Ford) lives against the backdrop of the Space Race. Jones is uneasy over the fact that the U.S. government has recruited former Nazis to help beat the Soviet Union in the competition to make it to space. His goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge), accompanies him on his journey. Meanwhile, Jürgen Voller (Mikkelsen), a NASA member and ex-Nazi involved with the moon-landing program, wishes to make the world into a better place as he sees fit.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny made its debut in theaters on June 30th, courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd.

THE GOOD

You simply cannot deny the fact that the Indiana Jones franchise is embedded in the great history of film. Back in 1981, a film legend with an iconic whip and hat was born, and he was destined to live on forever. Now star Harrison Ford has reached the age of 80 and similar to other aging actors like Clint Eastwood or Liam Neeson, he ain’t done yet. When Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was first announced, I was pumped. I love films that just remind me of the heyday of cinema, and the Indiana Jones films definitely do that for me. Now even though the first film was released a few years before I set foot on this green earth, I somehow found myself entrenched in the goofy one-liners and over-the-top action of these films. As I grew up and became interested in videogames, it came as no surprise that I found myself especially drawn to games in the action-adventure genre like Tomb Raider or the Uncharted franchise, which was just turned into a movie recently starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg (our full review here). Bottom line, I love this franchise and I had been eagerly awaiting the return of Indiana Jones. So, did Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny take me on a trip to the glory years of cinema or was this yet another unnecessary sequel? Keep reading to find out!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny impressed me at pretty much every turn, simple as that. Now I can’t quite explain whether I had high expectations or if I just wanted things to be status quo and feel familiar, but the “was I satisfied box” was checked with a big YES on my way out of the theater. Familiar is a good word to use because I feel like that was my biggest takeaway, the fact that this film felt like it belonged. I went back and re-watched the original just for old-time’s sake, knowing damn well I wouldn’t be able to watch all four films prior to heading to the theater (I have two toddlers, give me a break!), and I’m glad I did. I had just finished watching the 40+-year-old Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark just hours before heading to the theater, and man was it wild to see such a young and spry Harrison Ford, but it was so cool in terms of how smooth a transition it was watching Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Right from the opening sequence, it felt like a genuine Indiana Jones film, and for me that was exciting. Even at just over 2 and a half hours, I thought the film was paced well and was entertaining throughout with all of the fun action sequences we have come to expect from an Indiana Jones film.

I really enjoyed the story for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and felt like they did a nice job staying true to the franchise while also adding potential to continue on if they decide to. The film begins with a flashback to set the stage for the direction of the story which worked well and also made it so you could jump in and watch this movie without going back and watching any of the earlier films in the franchise. Now with that being said, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny does add an intriguing wrinkle to the story that ties it directly to the last film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Now I won’t give anything away of course, but I loved how they did this and felt like it added a much-needed emotional element that became a big part of the film by the end. With that being said, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to watch that prior to seeing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. More than anything else, this film stays true to the franchise as even though Jones is now an aging shell of himself in so many ways, he is still a man of integrity who above all else believes in the importance of preserving our history, and you know he can only be held down for so long. I really loved the film’s final act and thought that the writing team put their heads together to serve up a grand finale that was truly a tribute to the franchise. I won’t give anything away but I cannot wait to see it again.

The cast for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was fantastic, with the legend himself Harrison Ford leading the way. Now Ford is 80 years old, and I promise you he is in better shape than the majority of the people that will see this movie. I mean just think about that for a second, 80 and he is putting out yet another action adventure film like this. It is impressive, to say the least. Once again Ford brings charisma and confidence to the role of Indiana Jones, and although he has understandably adopted some of the “get off my lawn” old man mentality, he can still hang with the best of them. Starring alongside Ford is Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena, a character we learn is part of Indy’s past and who has grown up to have some unique skills herself. I enjoyed Waller-Bridge in this role, and if in fact, the franchise continues with her involved, I wouldn’t have an issue with it. Ethann Isidore was great as Teddy, who is sort of the new Short Round from the original films and will likely stick around if the franchise continues.

As far as villains go, we got some really good ones here. First off, most of us can agree that Nazis make fantastic bad guys, and actor Mads Mikkelsen is perfect in the role of Dr. Voller. You despise his character from the start, and he definitely helped to carry the film’s narrative. Alongside Mikkelsen is his loose cannon of a right-hand man Klaber, played by Boyd Holbrook who fit within that Ben Foster sort of role in the 3:10 to Yuma (2007) remake. I personally love Holbrook as an actor, and I think it’s great he has gotten so many opportunities as of late. He was fantastic in the dark comedy-drama Vengeance (our full review here), and he is slowly becoming the ultimate villain after his role here as well as his upcoming role in Justified: City Primeval. Holbrook has been taking on several strong supporting roles for years now, and he is getting opportunities to prove his worth. Another great bad guy who stands out like a sore thumb is Olivier Richters, the 7’2 Dutch actor known as “The Dutch Giant” who is an imposing presence throughout the film. Shaunette Renée Wilson, Toby Jones, and Antonio Banderas were great in their roles as well. It was awesome to see several of the original cast return, including John Rhys-Davies as Salleh, and a few others but I don’t want to give anything away.

The technical aspects of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny were pretty damn good from where I was sitting. First off, having just watched the 1981 film it was a little crazy to see the film’s opening sequence which was a flashback that used de-aging technology for Harrison Ford, and man did he look almost just like that fit young man from the early 80’s. I found myself doing a few double takes because of how good the technology looked, and I also thought they did an amazing job with the entire flashback making it truly feel like the dark days of Hitler’s reign of terror. The action sequences were exciting and aplenty, feeling very true to the franchise.

I also really liked how they made sure to add in funny little bits of reminders that Indy is no longer a young man and is a bit out of touch with the current times, like when he thinks he can threaten a group of bad guys with just his trusty whip as they all quickly pull out firearms. Scenes like that definitely put a smile on my face. Although this is the first film not directed by Steven Spielberg, I felt like James Mangold worked hard to follow in the footsteps of the man who helped build this franchise. I also previously mentioned how Holbrook reminded me of Ben Foster from 3:10 to Yuma, and Mangold actually directed and co-wrote that film. Composer John Williams delivered an epic score, ensuring viewers felt a rush of nostalgia while also helping to appeal to a new generation. Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael took full advantage of some beautiful shooting locations in the UK, and I thought the set design and costumes were top-notch.

THE BAD

Let me just start by saying the majority of the criticism for this film is unwarranted, simple as that. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is not a perfect movie, but I do feel like it should be reviewed just as much for how well it fits within the franchise as for just how good of a movie it is. Now I say this because the Indiana Jones franchise, as iconic as it is, may not be for everyone and you aren’t going to make another movie and try to reinvent the wheel sort of speak. The franchise is built around a treasure-hunting risk-taker full of charisma, and all of the films tend to have a certain tone where although the action sequences can get pretty intense, they generally maintain a little bit of goofiness which tends to lighten the mood a little bit.

With all of that being said, I do feel like it is important to have an appreciation for the franchise in order to enjoy Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to the full extent. You don’t have to go back and re-watch the original films, although I would suggest it if you have the time, but if this genre doesn’t do it for you I don’t think this film is going to change your mind necessarily. For example, one of the “high-speed chases” in the film includes Indiana Jones driving what is essentially an old-school golf cart as he navigates down narrow alleyways in pursuit of the bad guys. I thought this particular scene was great and definitely felt true to the franchise, but I could see some people wanting more. The film does pay homage to the franchise and the earlier films pretty much throughout, so if you haven’t seen any of them you will miss out on a good majority of the entertainment value which is often catered to fans of the franchise. To close out this section, I honestly don’t have any major gripes with this film, and I felt like it did everything about as well as I could have hoped and is a deserving addition to this historic franchise.

THE VERDICT

A nostalgic return to form for Harrison Ford as the iconic whip-wielding and smooth-talking adventure seeker, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny brings all of the fun we have come to expect from the franchise while adding a bit more depth to the story. By the end of the film, I felt satisfied, and I thought the story itself came full circle in a very fulfilling way. Plus I was glad to see that although the final act was intense and action-packed, it was also grounded and emotional leaving viewers with a bit more substance to soak up just as the credits begin to roll.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may not win over new fans and won’t be considered the best in the storied franchise, but for me, this is a more than worthy sendoff for one of the greatest action adventure franchises to ever grace the big screen. Plus, just seeing the original cast back together again was pretty special. Do yourself a favor and check this one out in theaters.