Grade: B+
As a child, I’d wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up, because I thought the Indiana Jones movies were an accurate representation of that profession. In Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, it’s 1969, and Dr. Jones is retiring from teaching. After an opening sequence that’s enjoyable despite some questionable CGI de-aging, we jump to the film’s present day, where senior citizen Indy finds himself in one more adventure. Not that the MacGuffin matters much, but the Dial of Destiny is the thing everyone’s trying to get, and it promises fantastical results.
Harrison Ford, now 80, is believable, and refreshingly, not as invincible as your typical action hero – and he has some poignant moments that remind us what a fine actor he can be. Phoebe Waller-Bridge – best known as the title character from Fleabag – is tough and positively endearing as Indy’s goddaughter Helena. John Rhys-Davies returns as Sallah. Antonio Banderas is in this. Other reviews and cast lists may reveal it, but I won’t say who else turns up, and when, and why.
Indy and Helena are never too busy to bicker and exchange barbs, even during their many exhilarating chase sequences. Somehow, it not only plays more effectively than in recent movies like Ghosted, but has a certain charm. One of these action scenes culminates in a perfect one-liner that packs the same comedic punch as “No ticket” from Last Crusade. Like a cartoon or a Nintendo game, the antagonists always catch up, and show up right on cue to continue the dialogue. The main bad guy is – of course – the last to die, and in the most spectacular way.
“Bond villain” is a term that understandably has been around for decades. At this point, if people haven’t already, we can talk about Indy Villains, in which Mads Mikkelsen is an ideal one. With his gangly crooked teeth and piercing eyes, he has a demeanor that will shroud your heart with darkness every time you see him. It’s a testament to his craft as an actor to note that I previously enjoyed him as a likable hero, as the star of Another Round – one of my favorite movies of 2021.
But it’s not all about the action. At the end, we think we have a conclusion that would have been adequately touching and appropriate in its finality. But the movie has another plan, and even a couple more after that. It’s the kind of thing that friends will get together to talk about, after courteously making sure no one within earshot hasn’t seen it yet. This is a perfect Indiana Jones movie; it’s everything it needed to be. It’s rarely boring, rarely credible, but frequently fun.
Grade: B+
Film Reviews by Mark 
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