christian movie reviews indiana jones and the dial of destiny

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Reviewed by: Raphael Vera CONTRIBUTOR

Harrison Ford’s final portrayal of fictional archaeologist Indiana Jones and the end of the Indiana Jones franchise

Ford was digitally de-aged for the film’s 1944 opening sequence to depict his appearance during the first three Indiana Jones films.

“Dial of Destiny” is the only film in the series that is neither directed by Steven Spielberg nor written by George Lucas.

It is also the only film in the series not to be distributed by Paramount Pictures, following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm that transferred film rights for future sequels.

The film's MacGuffin, the fictional Archimedes Dial, was inspired by research that director Mangold conducted into the Antikythera mechanism. Artistic liberty was taken with the film’s dial to suit the story. The dial is named after Greek inventor Archimedes, who is believed to have played a role in the creation of the real Antikythera.

Evil Nazi plan to replay history to win WWII

I n the final days of World War II, Nazi’s are scrambling to escape with as much of their stolen treasures as they can. Indiana Jones and his partner, archeologist Basil Shaw ( Toby Jones ), are after one of those treasures and end up with a part of the fabled ‘Archimedes Dial’. An artifact that Schmidt, a Nazi physicist, believes may unlock passages through time and make the owner god.

Fast forward to 1969, and the United States is celebrating the return of the Apollo 11 astronauts from the moon. But for Indiana Jones ( Harrison Ford ) it’s just another day of teaching a room full of disinterested college students. After class, Helena Shaw ( Phoebe Waller-Bridge ) the daughter of his old friend enters his life after not seeing him for almost 18-years. She is on a quest to find the Archimedes Dial, but so are a group of heavily armed Germans working for Dr. Jürgen Voller ( Mads Mikkelsen ).

“…Dial of Destiny” thrusts a retiring Indiana Jones back into an adventure that will take him to Tangiers and beyond in search of the lost treasure. Indy’s goal is mainly to keep it from being sold on the black market and put it where it belongs, namely in a museum. However, his god-daughter is not exactly as she appears and has very different plans, as does the decorated German physicist Voller (aka Schmidt) who uses the men at his command to kill anyone that stands in the way of his destiny.

Objectionable Content

VIOLENCE: Heavy. The death toll is heavy and varied including people being shot, crushed, impaled, burned, thrown from moving cars, crashing, exploding, and there is an attempted hanging. Schmidt’s henchmen are as cold blooded as the Nazis they revere and are shown heartlessly shooting bystanders and even comrades at point blank range. A young boy is shown killing one of the Nazis by drowning.

LANGUAGE: Moderate. The Lord’s name is taken in vain in the form of J*sus (1), G*d (3), G*d- d**n (1), d**n (2), p*ss (1), and h*ll is exclaimed the most throughout the film (9 times), several times comically as during an anti-war protest when it is chanted, “H*ll no we won’t go!”. Admittedly the film has a lower than average number of curses when compared to most PG-13 rated films. Helena refers lasciviously to a shirtless man as “promising”.

SEX/NUDITY: Mild. There is no sex or nudity shown and only one instance of gentle kissing. Helena is shown twice ogling men in unnecessary, throw away scenes. Indy is shirtless when he first wakes up and one of the divers is shown shirtless as he is getting into his wet suit.

WOKENESS: Moderate. In one scene they are arguing over who the Archimedes Dial belongs to, and Helena sums it up by saying everyone steals from everyone, “That’s capitalism!”. Helena is the epitome of the strong empowered feminist who can duke it out, gamble and drink with the best of them and dates gangsters. Several times Helena is shown doing stunts that border on so improbable that even a younger Indiana Jones would be hard pressed to get away with them. The concept of “my truth” is subtly touched upon by our hero, but more on that later.

There are several themes that are woven throughout the film that bear spiritual significance including that of idolatry , faith and marriage .

IDOLATRY. At its core almost everyone in the film idolizes something. Helena and her teenage sidekick, Teddy ( Ethann Isidore ), idolize money . Archimedes, as he is presented here, held mathematics in such high regard that he believed he could predict and even use nature itself. Schmidt worships power and hopes the artifact can literally make him a god as he would have mastery over time and in turn the world.

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.’ — Colossians 3:5

There is an unexpected side affect of having such a passion for the temporal things of this world:

“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.’ — Jonah 2:8

FAITH. As Indiana Jones says to Helena, “I’ve come to believe it’s not so much what you believe, but how hard you believe it.” Indy is suggesting here that the subject of your belief (faith) is irrelevant, that what matters more is the strength of your conviction. Following this ‘logic’ your ‘belief’ can and will create or manifest the results or reality that you desire.

Believing that you can alter your personal reality and that truth is not absolute and can be determined by your whims, is fundamental to the “my truth” mindset that many have been lied to by the world’s media and academia.

Bottom line, if you are seeking truth there is only one answer that will give you the peace, in this life, and the joy in the hereafter with God our Father in Heaven.

Jesus answered, “ I am the way and the truth and the life . No one comes to the Father except through me.’ — John 14:6

The benefit of knowing the truth was also known by Dr. Martin Luther King when he quoted John 8:32, in saying,

“Then you will know the truth , and the truth will set you free.”

Scripture further explains that,

“We are from God , and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood .’ — 1 John 4:6

MARRIAGE. During a low moment in Indiana’s life, he realizes that if he is alone, who does he have to live for? From the very beginning God did not create us to be alone.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” — Genesis 2:18

In fact, God created marriage for our happiness, as well as holiness , but that is a longer discussion for another time.

“For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.’ — Isaiah 62:5

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” sees Harrison Ford’s long-overdue return to his iconic role 15-years after his last turn in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Today’s question is, are his adventures still worth the price of admission?

On the plus side, the character of Indiana Jones is easily the most developed and consistent character of the film, due in no small measure to Harrison Ford’s on-screen presence and charisma. The same cannot be said of Phoebe Waller-Bridge ’s Helena, whose transition from very unlikeable foe to dependable ally is unconvincing. Vital lines of exposition and heartfelt moments could have been used to explain her change of heart, but without those scenes the character comes off as conflicted and the tonal shifts sometimes jarring. As a character we are meant to like, Teddy ( Ethann Isidore ) should have been better developed.

John Williams returns to masterfully score Indiana Jones, and it is difficult to imagine an Indy film without him or Harrison Ford, although no new themes stood out or were noticed by this reviewer. What was noticeable was the poor CGI at times, such as when Indy is running atop the train.

Fantasy and adventure films often ask for some ‘suspension of disbelief’ to make occasional plot contrivances work, but done too often, as it happens here, pulls the audience away from immersing in the story . One cannot learn how to fly a plane after hearing someone describe all the steps needed, no more than you can play a flight simulator program and successfully take off on your own. “Dial of Destiny” needed some judicious script doctoring before actual production. Let us hope there is a ‘Directors Cut’ in the future that addresses the film’s issues.

Closing Thoughts

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” has a touching emotional payout at the end for Indy that should please many fans, but may be brought low by comparisons to the earlier films featuring a younger, naturally more robust action hero. The movie is hampered by its narrative and woke elements , but manages to bring a satisfying final chapter to the Indiana Jones franchise.

• Violence: Heavy
• Wokeism: Moderate
• Profane language: Mild
• Vulgar/Crude language: Mild
• Nudity: Minor
• Drugs/Alcohol: Mild
• Occult: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

• Non-viewer comments

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Christian Movie Review)

Verdict: Despite a fantastic opening sequence and flashes of the original charm and excitement, the sequel is unable to locate the same relentless sense of fun and adventure.

About The Movie

Everyone’s favorite fedora wearing, whip swinging, swashbuckling archeologist went on a “last crusade” decades ago, but his adventuring days are not over quite yet. Audiences already experienced an aging Indy in the disappointing 2008 sequel, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . In Dial of Destiny, he is even older, despite his fashion style remaining unchanged (if it works, it works!).

Unfortunately, not only does the 5 th Indy flick fail to right the wrongs of the previous lackluster sequel, but it also steps onto many of the same booby traps that derailed that film. Dial of Destiny is an Indiana Jones movie in appearance, and demonstrates flashes of the original charm and excitement, but it is unable to locate the same relentless sense of fun and adventure. It is not a total disaster, but by the end the movie you almost feel sad and sorry for Indiana Jones, rather than compelled to race to the nearest costume store to try and be him.

The movie begins with an extended flashback scene that features a convincingly de-aged Harrison Ford. The technology is still not perfect, but is good enough to gives a surreal feeling of being transported back in time and watching an unmade sequel to 1989’s Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. The opening is the best sequence of the movie, that beyond simply looking the most like the originals, also does the best at capturing the classic adventure vibe and tone.

The movie then transitions to the current Indiana Jones, an old and lonely man in a reclining chair. The movie (thankfully) makes no attempt to conceal Ford’s age, fully committing to the hero’s later stage of life. Whether this newer (or, rather, older) version is as entertaining as the classic depiction, however, remains up for discussion.

There are some positive elements. Harrison Ford remains great as Indy, and Mads Mikkelsen is well-cast as a villainous Nazi scientist. John Williams’ tremendous score also does some heavy lifting. Hearing that iconic theme song again will make even a hardened cynic grin. At the same time, the exhilarating opening sequence and the delightful soundtrack are double-edged swords, reminding audiences how much fun the franchise once was and, by contrast, how much less fun the current iteration is.

The story reuses many classic elements from previous movies, but is overlong and convoluted, featuring a string of MacGuffins and far too many competing factions and characters. Director James Mangold takes a bold swing with a sure-to-be-controversial finale that—while not quite as cringe-worthy as the aliens in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull —doesn’t work at all, ending the movie on a low note.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character is introduced as Indiana Jones’ goddaughter. She is a spunky, self-sufficient, wise-cracking foil to Indy, but sometimes comes across more obnoxious than endearing. Part of the problem is how frequently she steals the spotlight from Indiana. Particularly in the middle act, Harrison Ford feels sidelined (which is not what anyone wants from a final Indiana Jones film, regardless of what they may think of Bridge’s character).   

In the end, Dial of Destiny simply doesn’t always feel like an Indiana Jones movie. The nostalgic elements don’t hit as hard as they should, and it almost feels more inspired by the National Treasure movies than a continuation of the films that inspired those movies. The ending is an anti-climactic and unsatisfying send off for the iconic character (even more so than his ending in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). The modern Indiana Jones movies are a reminder of how rare these sorts of films are today, and how great the original films were. But seeing the iconic character as a broken down, frail, and lonely man, I can’t help feeling that perhaps it would be better to let him rest in his reclining chair in peace rather than dragging him into another adventure; a cherished relic from an older era ready to find a lasting home in a museum.

For Consideration

Language: A handful of minor profanities (“H—,” “D—“), and both “God” and “Jesus” are wrongly used.

Violence:  Nothing as extreme as previous Indy films. Lots of characters get shot and killed; we see blood seeping from wounds and pooling on floor around them. The most graphic moment of violence is when a character is killed in a plane crash, and his body is found with burned and boiled skin, but the camera does not linger.

Sexuality: None.

Engage The Film

Faith & science.

As an archeologist, Indiana Jones is a man of science. In a flashback scene, after his friend expresses a belief in supernatural powers, Indy challenges, “But you can’t prove it! Proving it is what makes it science !” Now, years later, after having seen angels of death melt Nazi faces, the Holy Grail heal his father from certain death, and even some aliens, his rigid views have been reevaluated and expanded. Indiana Jones is not religious, but he is now more agnostic about the supernatural. Later in the film, he muses, “It’s not so much what you believe. It’s about how hard you believe it.” This conviction may embrace an erroneous relativistic understanding of truth, but also reflects his character’s growth and acceptance that there are realities in the world that defy scientific explanation.

The Dial is claimed to have the power to turn back time. The villain desires this power to manipulate history for the Nazi’s to win the war. While Indiana wants the artifact kept in a museum rather than used, he also is largely occupied with the concept of time and dealing with the past. Time comes for everyone. Indiana Jones is now old and frail, not the forever-young archetypal hero of the past. He frequently reminisces and reflects on his past, mostly the painful memories. In a way, he and the villain share a discontent with the present and a wistful desire to change their pasts.

On a meta-level, the movie uses technology to wield its own Dial of Destiny by turning back the clock several decades, de-aging Harrison Ford, and continuing the iconic franchise. In doing so, it raises some interesting questions about whether it is healthy to stay fixated on reliving the past, or if we must learn to be content with embracing the time in which we live and allow relics to remain in the past. The Bible conveys, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Life unfolds in seasons, and time is meant to be experienced in the present, not in dwelling on the past.

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Indiana jones and the dial of destiny, common sense media reviewers.

Entertaining fifth Indy movie has some shocking violence.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Ingenuity, courage, teamwork, and trying to do the

Indy is brave, resourceful, loyal, and smart, and

The two primary characters -- Indy (Harrison Ford)

Frequent peril/danger, lots of guns and shooting,

Woman spies shirtless man (one of a couple seen on

Occasional language includes uses of "damn" and "d

A character drinks a bottle of Coca-Cola. Coca-Col

Fairly frequent drinking: Indy spikes his morning

Parents need to know that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the fifth and likely final movie in the blockbuster adventure franchise starring Harrison Ford. There's plenty of the series' usual peril and violence, though this one has more deaths that really feel like murders: Several characters,…

Positive Messages

Ingenuity, courage, teamwork, and trying to do the right thing are ultimately rewarded, though some of the heroes' methods and choices are iffy. Family is important here, especially found family; knowing that people care about you can be a calming/positive influence. Violence can be swift and brutal, but it's important to acknowledge and mourn your losses.

Positive Role Models

Indy is brave, resourceful, loyal, and smart, and he's dedicated to preserving historical artifacts and protecting them from those who would misuse them. That said, you probably don't want your kids imitating him, especially given the violence he's forced to use. Helena is smart and proactive, even if her motives are questionable at best. Enemies are portrayed one-dimensionally, as purely evil. Lots of bickering. Two main characters find themselves drawn to doing illicit or unwise things because they think no one will care. When they do realize that someone cares, it settles them.

Diverse Representations

The two primary characters -- Indy (Harrison Ford) and Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) -- are White. Helena is smart and resourceful and has agency; she needs no rescuing. And Indy is now 80 but still active and tenacious. Movie is set in several places, including Manhattan, Sicily, and Morocco; many characters of color in background, but some locations still feel exoticized. Antonio Banderas plays a Spanish diver who helps the heroes. Helena has a young, fearless Moroccan sidekick (Ethann Bergua-Isidore, who's of Franco-Mauritian-Brazilian descent). U.S. Agent Mason (Shaunette Renée Wilson) is Black and is important to the plot, but her story arc plays into some stereotypes. Egyptian character Sallah (Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies) says that he wants his children and grandchildren to understand what it's like to be both American and Egyptian. A minor character uses crutches. Indy makes brief references to having drunk the Blood of Kali and been the target of "voodoo." An African American bellhop has a run-in with the Nazi villain, who says racist things to him (asking him where he's "really" from and making reference to "your people"). The villains are Nazis and all White.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Frequent peril/danger, lots of guns and shooting, sometimes in crowded places (including an anti-war protest). Several characters are shot and killed, sometimes very abruptly/execution style by bloodthirsty villains (more deaths feel like murders here than in previous Indy films). Characters are thrown from moving trains and in-flight airplanes and jump/fall from heights. Knives. Fighting, punching. Woman punched in face. Burned/charred corpse in plane wreckage. Child taken captive/in peril. Two characters handcuffed together fall into the water; one escapes and leaves the other trapped, sure to drown. Threats, bloody wounds. Mace or similar sprayed on villains. Blood on hand leaves bloody prints on a phone receiver. Several action-packed car/train/vehicle chases, crashes. Plane crash. Noose put around character's neck; he barely escapes being hung, and swings from the rope for a bit. Explosions: bombs, dynamite, more. Characters held prisoner. Vicious attacking eels, creepy centipedes. Skeletons. Depiction of a large battle includes ships attacking, firing deadly weapons, ships on fire, etc. Yelling, arguing. Characters mourn the loss of loved ones.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Woman spies shirtless man (one of a couple seen on a boat), says to herself: "promising!" Indy shown wearing just boxer briefs. Tender kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Occasional language includes uses of "damn" and "dammit," "crap," "hell" and "what the hell," "stupid," "pissed off," "shut up," and "cracker." Exclamatory use of "Jesus" and "my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A character drinks a bottle of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola sign. An old Levi's ad is seen on a subway train. Pan Am logo on airplane; ConEd, Brillo logos seen.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Fairly frequent drinking: Indy spikes his morning coffee, has whiskey in a bar, Scotch on airplane, whiskeys on boat, etc. Characters drink from a flask before doing something dangerous. A character says "you've had too many whiskeys." Cigarette smoking. Character sucks on a cigar stub; another has a pipe. Ashtrays shown.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the fifth and likely final movie in the blockbuster adventure franchise starring Harrison Ford . There's plenty of the series' usual peril and violence, though this one has more deaths that really feel like murders: Several characters, including innocent bystanders, are abruptly, shockingly shot and killed. Heroes and villains alike use guns and other weapons (Indy has his trusty whip, of course) throughout the movie, and there's fighting and punching, big explosions, high-stakes chases, people being thrown from trains and planes, a villain left to presumably drown, some blood (wounds, on hands, etc.), a burned/charred corpse, vicious eels, creepy bugs, and more. Occasional mild language ranges from "damn" and "crap" to "Jesus" and "hell." A woman briefly indicates sexual attraction to a shirtless man, Indy is shown in his boxer briefs, and a couple kisses tenderly. Characters drink -- mostly whiskey/Scotch fairly frequently, and there's some cigarette smoking. Ingenuity, courage, teamwork, and trying to do the right thing are ultimately rewarded, and family -- especially found family -- is important. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (15)
• Kids say (17)

Based on 15 parent reviews

Classic Indy movie but skip the previews

Fun family movie for tweens and up, what's the story.

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY opens with a sequence set at the end of World War II, with Indiana Jones ( Harrison Ford ) and his friend Basil ( Toby Jones ) trying to rescue an ancient religious artifact from the Nazis. What they find instead is half of Archimedes' Antikythera mechanism, a mechanical dial that's said to bring untold power to whoever possesses and masters it. Indy tangles with sinister Nazi scientist Voller ( Mads Mikkelsen ), but he and Basil manage to escape with the dial. Years later, in 1969, Dr. Jones is freshly retired from teaching when he receives a visit from Basil's daughter, Helena ( Phoebe Waller-Bridge ), who's eager to get her hands on the dial. But why, exactly? Indy quickly finds himself caught up in yet another adventure as the truth unfolds.

Is It Any Good?

This satisfying fifth (and presumably final) Indiana Jones adventure hits all the right beats, understanding that these movies have always been about more than just chases and fights. Directed by James Mangold , Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has some of the same flavor that he brought to his earlier movies about seasoned adventurers ( 3:10 to Yuma , Logan ), and plenty of soul. Ford, 80 at the time of the movie's release, is allowed to look and feel his age (while climbing a stone wall in a cave, he complains about his aches and pains). And yet the stunts and action are all very much still exciting, with Waller-Bridge more than holding her own. A pair of flashbacks that use de-aging digital technology to give us a younger Indy are nearly seamless, too.

One of the best things about the Indy movies is that they revel in scenes set in musty old libraries or storage rooms and delight in the piecing together of 1,000-year-old puzzles -- and this one is no different. These beats provide rests between chases and build the characters. Even though Mangold goes long with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , at 154 minutes, the pacing largely feels right. We really get the sense of just who Indiana Jones is here, what his history is, and how he feels about things. Now that his story is well and truly told, he's still our hero, but we feel like part of his family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

Do you agree with Indy that historic artifacts belong in museums? What are today's best practices around preserving cultural treasures?

How are drinking and smoking portrayed here? Are they used casually? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

How does this film compare to the previous Indy movies in terms of positive diverse representations ?

If you had a Dial of Destiny, how would you use it?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 5, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : December 5, 2023
• Cast : Harrison Ford , Phoebe Waller-Bridge , Mads Mikkelsen
• Director : James Mangold
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Adventures , History
• Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 154 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sequences of violence and action, language and smoking
• Last updated : December 6, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Movie Reviews

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“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is somehow both never boring and never really entertaining. It walks a line of modest interest in what’s going to happen next thanks to equal parts innovative story beats and the foundation of nostalgia that everyone brings to the theater. It’s an alternating series of frustrating choices, promising beats, and general goodwill for a legendary actor donning one of the most famous hats in movie history yet again. It should be better. It could have been worse. Both can be true. In an era of extreme online critical opinion, “The Dial of Destiny” is a hard movie to truly hate, which is nice. It’s also an Indiana Jones movie that's difficult to truly love, which makes this massive fan of the original trilogy a little sad.

The unsettling mix of good and bad starts in the first sequence, a flashback to the final days of World War II that features Indy ( Harrison Ford ) and a colleague named Basil Shaw ( Toby Jones ) trying to reclaim some of the historical artifacts being stolen by the fleeing Nazis. Jones looks normal, of course, but Ford here is an uncanny valley occupant, a figure of de-aged CGI that never looks quite human. He doesn't move or even sound quite right. It’s the first but not the last time in “The Dial of Destiny” in which it feels like you can’t really get your hands on what you’re watching. It sets up a standard of over-used effects that are the film’s greatest flaw. We’re watching Indiana Jones at the end of World War II, but the effects are distracting instead of enhancing.

It's a shame, too, because the structure of the prologue is solid. Indy escapes capture from a Nazi played by Thomas Kretschmann , but the important introduction here is that of a Nazi astrophysicist named Jurgen Voller (a de-aged Mads Mikkelsen ), who discovers that, while looking for something called the Lance of Longinus, the Nazis have stumbled upon half of the Antikythera, or Archimedes’ Dial. Based on a real Ancient Greek item that could reportedly predict astronomical positions for decades, the dial is given the magical Indy franchise treatment in ways that I won’t spoil other than to say it’s not as explicitly religious as items like the Ark of the Covenant of The Holy Grail other than, as Voller says, it almost makes its owner God.

After a cleverly staged sequence involving anti-aircraft fire and dozens of dead Nazis, “The Dial of Destiny” jumps to 1969. An elderly Indiana Jones is retiring from Hunter College, unsure of what comes next in part because he’s separated from Marion after the death of their son Mutt in the Vietnam War. The best thing about “The Dial of Destiny” starts here in the emotional undercurrents in Harrison Ford’s performance. He could have lazily walked through playing Indy again, but he very clearly asked where this man would be emotionally at this point in his life. Ford’s dramatic choices, especially in the film's back half, can be remarkable, reminding one how good he can be with the right material. His work here made me truly hope that he gets a brilliant drama again in his career, the kind he made more often in the ‘80s.

But back to the action/adventure stuff. Before he can put his retirement gift away, Indy is whisked off on an adventure with Helena Shaw ( Phoebe Waller-Bridge ), the daughter of Basil and goddaughter of Indy. It turns out that Basil became obsessed with the dial after their encounter with it a quarter-century ago, and Indy told him he would destroy the half of the dial they found. Of course, Indiana Jones doesn’t destroy historical artifacts. As they’re getting the dial from the storeroom, they’re attacked by Voller and his goons, leading to a horse chase through the subway during a parade. It’s a cluttered, awkward action sequence with power that’s purely nostalgic—an iconic hero riding a horse through a parade being thrown for someone else.

Before you know it, everyone is in Tangier, where Helena wants to sell her half of the dial, and the film injects its final major character into the action with a sidekick named Teddy ( Ethann Isidore ). From here, “The Dial of Destiny” becomes a traditional Indy chase movie with Jones and his team trying to stay ahead of the bad guys while leading them to what they’re trying to uncover.

James Mangold has delivered on “old-man hero action” before with the excellent “ Logan ,” but he gets lost on the journey here, unable to stage action sequences in a way that’s anywhere near as engaging as how Steven Spielberg does the same. Yes, we’re in a different era. CGI is more prevalent. But that doesn’t excuse clunky, awkward, incoherent action choreography. Look at films like “ John Wick: Chapter 4 ” or a little sequel that’s coming out in a few weeks that I’m not really supposed to talk about—even with the CGI enhancements, you know where the characters are at almost all times, what they’re trying to accomplish, and what stands in their way. 

That basic action structure often falls apart in “The Dial of Destiny.” There’s a car chase scene through Tangier that’s incredibly frustrating, a blur of activity that should work on paper but has no weight and no real stakes. A later scene in a shipwreck that should be claustrophobic is similarly clunky in terms of basic composition. I know not everyone can be Spielberg, but the simple framing of action sequences in “ Raiders of the Lost Ark ” and even “ Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ” is gone here, replaced by sequences that cost so much that they somehow elevated the budget to $300 million. I wished early and often to see this movie's $100 million version.

“The Dial of Destiny” works much better when it’s less worried about spending that massive budget. When Indy and Helena get to actual treasure-hunting, and John Williams ’ all-timer theme kicks in again, the movie clicks. And, without spoiling, it ends with a series of events and ideas that I wish had been foregrounded more in the 130 minutes that preceded it. Ultimately, “The Dial of Destiny” is about a man who wants to control history being thwarted by a man who wants to appreciate it but has arguably allowed himself to get stuck in it through regret or inaction. There’s a powerful emotional center here, but it comes too late to have the impact it could have with a stronger script. One senses that this script was sanded down so many times by producers and rewrites that it lost some of the rough edges it needed to work.

Spielberg reportedly gave Mangold some advice when he passed the whip to the director, telling him , “It’s a movie that’s a trailer from beginning to end—always be moving.” Sure. Trailers are rarely boring. But they’re never as entertaining as a great movie.

In theaters now.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film credits.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking.

154 minutes

Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones

Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw

Antonio Banderas as Renaldo

John Rhys-Davies as Sallah

Toby Jones as Basil Shaw

Boyd Holbrook as Klaber

Ethann Isidore as Teddy Kumar

Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Jürgen Voller

Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood

Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber

• James Mangold

Writer (based on characters created by)

• George Lucas
• Philip Kaufman
• David Koepp
• Jez Butterworth
• John-Henry Butterworth

Cinematographer

• Phedon Papamichael
• Michael McCusker
• Dirk Westervelt
• Andrew Buckland
• John Williams

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Indy’s Final Chapter in a Life of Adventure

It has been fifteen years since Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Harrison Ford is now 80 years old. Can Indy still wow audiences? And is this movie suitable for children? In this Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Christian Movie Review & Parent Guide, I answer all your questions before seeing this film.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Christian Movie Review

From the studio: .

Harrison Ford returns to the role of the legendary hero archaeologist for this fifth installment of the iconic franchise. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Shaunette Renee Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Oliver Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”).

My Synopsis:

The year is 1969, Dr. Henry Jones is retiring from teaching. He is now 70 years old, and it doesn’t appear he has much going on in his life. At this point, his goddaughter, Helena Shaw, shows up. She is looking for the Archimedes dial that Jones and her father, Basil Shaw, took from Nazis during the Allied liberation of Europe in 1944, after a grueling fight with Jurgen Voller.

While Helena wants the dial for financial gain, Indiana Jones wants to prevent it from falling in the wrong hands.

Additionally, Voller is back under a new identity, and he has just helped NASA successfully complete the Apollo 11 mission of landing the astronauts on the moon. Since 1944, he has bided his time and is now working to find the Dial of Destiny. His plan is to right the wrongs – Hitler losing the war – and set a new path for the future. Can Indy save the future of mankind?

What Parents Want to Know about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Christian Movie Review

For the most part, the language in this latest installment of Indiana Jones is pretty tame. However, there are a few instances of “d-mn,” “what the h-ll,” one “p-ss me off.” Someone says, “He will be god,” about a person who has the dial.

Additionally, people chant, “Hell, no. We won’t go” during an anti-war demonstration.

A character refers to another character as “cracker.”

The violence in this movie is pretty substantial. The worst of it is just the point blank killing of innocent people. There is blood, gunshots, machine guns, fistfights, dynamite, explosions, fighting in a bar, and an intense and lengthy car chase scene. There is a pretty high casualty count.

Furthermore, in an early scene, a man is put in a noose and is going to be hanged when a bomb goes off. He is fighting for his life in an attempt to remove the noose.

The train chase scene is also pretty harrowing. It includes men being shot from above, a man smashes into a tree, and there are other gruesome deaths.

Additionally, there is a chase through New York City during a parade. Indiana Jones rides the horse through the subway and at one point is on the tracks with a train barreling down on him. 

A young boy is kidnapped.

There is a battle scene involving planes and ships. 

Adult Situations:

Early in the movie, you see a “separation agreement” between Marion and Henry Jones. He discusses what led to this separation. It is implied that a woman has slept with men that she is not married to. A couple kiss.

Other Content:

There is drinking and smoking throughout the movie. Furthermore, there is lying, deception, and lots of stealing throughout the entire film. 

An adult male is seen in his boxer shorts.

Finally, it would not be an Indiana Jones movie without bugs, more bugs, eels, snakes, and other creepy crawlers. 

Spiritual Content:

There are references to a blade that drew Christ’s blood.

Teachable Moments: Teaching Guide & Homeschooling Resource for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Indiana Jones talks about what led to his marriage falling apart. This is a very raw and real emotion packed scene. Discuss divorce and why people get divorced versus what does God say about divorce? 

If faced with a Time Machine that will take you to any place in history or even the future, where would you go and why? Indiana Jones answer to that question was heart-felt which displayed how he has changed through the years. 

Historical Moments:

There are a lot of deep dives you can do from this film, from the blade that pierced Christ’s side , the Antikythera , Nazi Germany, and the moon landing. 

Study the Lance of Longinus, the blade that pierced the side of Christ. Has it been found? What are the other names for this relic? Read the Biblical account of the death of Christ.

The beginning of the movie is set in Nazi Germany. As the movie progresses, you see the same Third Reich trying to regain control. Discuss the Nazi party, what they stand for and Nazi groups today. 

While we consider the Nazi party to be a hate-filled group, Hitler had some good initiatives as a politician. Research those initiatives – animal and nature protection, Mother’s Day was started, anti-smoking laws, a great leader for Germany, etc. Compare those things to the evil committed by the man and Nazis.

Also seen in the film is a parade celebrating Apollo 11 and the moon landing. Look for actual footage from the parade that celebrated the astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. 

Finally, there was a siege of Syracuse from 213-212 BC in which Archimedes was killed. Study Archimedes and the Siege of Syracuse.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Viewing Recommendations

First, this latest film is exciting, action-packed, and takes a lot of twists and turns. However, it certainly deserves the PG-13 rating.

While this fifth installment of the Indiana Jones series is one of the milder films in terms of language and sexual content, it is one of the more violent in terms of killing for the sake of killing. In the movie, Voller and his men are racing against time to change the course of history. They will stop at nothing to get their hands on the dial. They leave a trail of dead bodies everywhere they go. 

Because of this violence and point blank shooting of everyone in sight, I recommend keeping the younger kids from seeing this movie. Therefore, my recommendation is 12-13 years old and up.

While this movie lacks the charm and comedy of some of the other films in this series, it is worth watching. Harrison Ford delivers an outstanding Indiana Jones performance, and Mads Mikkelsen is the villain you love to hate. However, I was disappointed in Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw. Overall, Dial of Destiny is a great ending to a long journey.

About the Movie – Dial of Destiny:

Rating: PG-13 for Language/Action/Sequences of Violence/Smoking

Release Date: June 30, 2023

Genre: Action/Adventure

Runtime: 2 hr., 22 mins.

Director: James Mangold (Le Mans ‘66, Logan)

Producer: Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel

Executive Producer: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas

Writers: Jen Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp

Musical Score: John Williams

Cast of Dial of Destiny:

Harrison Ford plays Indiana Jones

Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays Helena

Antonio Banderas as Renaldo

Karen Allen as Marion

John Rhys-Davies as Sallah

Shaunette Renee Wilson as Mason

Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber

Toby Jones as Basil Shaw

Boyd Holbrook as Klaber

Olivier Richters as Hauke

Ethann Isidore as Teddy

Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Voller

Martin McDougall as Durkin 

Alana Safi as Rahim

Francis Chapman as young SS officer

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can i watch indiana jones.

The movie was released on June 30, 2023, and could only be viewed in movie theaters. It will be streaming on Disney+ and should be available to rent on Amazon Prime and other rental platforms in the future.

What is the Dial of Destiny?

This fictional item (Dial of Destiny) is actually based on a real machine. The Archimedes dial is also called Antikythera. In the movie it is believed to help you travel through fissures in time to go into the past – essentially a Time Machine.

In real life: The Antikythera mechanism was found off the coast of a Greek Island in 1900. It is believed to chart the movement of the sun and moon, chart the planets, and predict eclipses. 

It is unknown who invented the Antikythera, and archaeologists believe that this real life Antikythera is from the wrong time period to have been created by Archimedes. However, it is believed that Archimedes was the person who developed this particular type of technology.

The Antikythera is on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

How old is Indiana Jones in Dial of Destiny?

Indiana Jones was born in 1899. The year is 1969. Therefore, he is 70 years old.

How old is Harrison Ford in this movie?

At the time of this movie, Harrison Ford is 80 years old.

How old is Karen Allen in Dial of Destiny?

Karen is 71 years old.

(SPOILER ALERT) Do Indiana Jones and Marion reconcile?

Yes. At the end of the movie, after Indiana Jones is nearly killed, Marion returns and the final scene shows them kissing.

Quotes: 

“I Don’t Believe in magic, but a few times in my life I’ve seen things…things I can’t explain.”

“To the victor, belongs the spoils.”

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• DVD & Streaming

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

• Action/Adventure , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• June 30, 2023
• Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones; Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena; Ethann Bergua-Isidore as Teddy; Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Voller; Karen Allen as Marion; Boyd Holbrook as Klaber; Antonio Banderas as Renaldo; John Rhys-Davies as Sallah; Toby Jones as Basil Shaw; Olivier Richters as Hauke; Shaunette Renée Wilson as Mason

Home Release Date

• August 29, 2023
• James Mangold

Distributor

• Walt Disny Studios Motion Pictures

Movie Review

It’s 1936, and a youngish archaeologist named Indiana Jones is about to be buried alive in an ancient Egyptian tomb. His nemesis, Belloq, gloats from above. Recalling an earlier conversation they had over the value of a dime-store pocket watch after a thousand years, Belloq offers a cutting quip.

“You’re about to become a permanent addition to this archeological find,” Belloq says. “Who knows? In a thousand years, even you may be worth something.”

It’s 1969, and luckily, Indiana Jones wasn’t buried alive after all. He is, however, getting—and feeling—older by the day. Only he doesn’t feel like he’s gaining value. He feels as though he’s losing it.

Forget the days when underclassmen would write “love you” on their eyelids and blink slowly in the handsome Dr. Jones’ direction. When his students shut their eyes these days, it’s to take a quick nap. Forget the years when he came back to a home filled with love and family: His only son, Mutt, died in Vietnam. His relationship with wife, Marion, was wrecked by the grief, and she left him.

The man who survived the blood of Kali? Who braved the most devious of medieval traps? Who ran pell-mell from a gigantic boulder and nonchalantly brushed tarantulas from his leather coat? That man is 30 years gone. A big adventure these days might be more fairly called Indiana Jones and the Afternoon Nap .

Or so it would seem.

But then, on the day of his retirement, a familiar figure walks through his classroom door: Helena Shaw, Indy’s goddaughter. She’s after the Antikythera, an ancient Greek construct that was her father’s obsession. What does it do? No one really knows. The technology it represents shouldn’t, technically, exist for another thousand years. But Helena’s dad—in his crazed, waning days—thought that it might be able to manipulate time . 

Whatever it does, its Greek creator (the famed Archimedes) thought it was so powerful that he broke the thing in half.

Indy has one part of the Antikythera: Helena wants his help in finding the rest. Or so she says.

But she’s not the only one after the fabled mechanism: Dr. Voller, once-and-future Nazi, has his eyes on the prize, too. And you can guarantee that the bespectacled baddie has his own plans for it.

Nazis. We hate those guys.

Positive Elements

We can’t quibble with stopping Nazis. And, as we all know, Indiana Jones (for all his faults and occasionally questionable choices) has stopped more than his fair share. The stakes are high this time around, because even though Germany lost the war, Dr. Voller is scheming to make everything … Reich.

Helena’s not the do-gooder that Indy is. She’s on this particular quest for (as Indiana Jones himself once said) fortune and glory. Or so she says, at least. Indy sees something more in her, though: A desire to connect with her late father. She develops a real attachment to her godfather, too.

Helena also serves as a guardian/friend/mentor to a teen named Teddy. Now, their relationship is hardly perfect, given that it’s based on stealing and cheating and all sorts of bad behavior. But Helena has managed to keep Teddy relatively safe and off the streets, and she might be the closest thing to a mother/friend that Teddy’s ever had. And when things get particularly dangerous, we see the lengths that they’ll all go to save one another.

We also see some nice messages about friendship, marriage and reconciliation.

Spiritual Elements

When the movie opens in flashback (during the final days of World War II) we see that Indiana and his friend, Basil Shaw, are after another biblical relic. The Nazis have in their possession the Lance of Longinus—the spearhead that pierced Jesus’ side during His crucifixion—and Indy and Basil are attempting to liberate it.

The spear is revealed to be fake (though we see it again in a later scene).

The Antikythera, meanwhile, is very much real and (again in flashback) very much in Nazi hands. We hear that if the ancient dial finds its way into Hitler’s hands, “He will be God.”

We hear that Archimedes was a “mathematician, not a magician.” Indy says that he doesn’t believe in magic, but he does allude to his many experiences that he can’t explain. He’s come to the conclusion that “It’s not so much what you believe; it’s how hard you believe it.”

A picture of Christ is seen hanging on a wall. A Bible reference (Philippians 22) is scrawled on a subway wall. A Catholic statue makes its way through a Sicilian street. Indy alludes to earlier adventures, including drinking the blood of Kali. (The name refers to the Hindu goddess of death, and the blood itself apparently held magical powers.)

Sexual Content

Helena wears a top that reveals a bit of midriff. She was also engaged to a violently lovelorn mafia don. Indy walks around shirtless and in his skivvies. A couple shares a kiss or two.

Violent Content

The violence in Dial of Destiny isn’t as gross as we’ve seen in previous Indiana Jones adventures: No melting faces, no monkey brains, no one gets chopped up by airplane propellers. But the body count is quite high.

We can “thank” the opening flashback for a great many fatalities. Cars and motorcycles crash and fly around, killing and sometimes throwing free their occupants. On a train, a huge machine gun goes haywire (thanks to the sudden demise of its operator) and shoots dozens of people (most of whom fall off the train). Several folks are killed via handgun, too. A guy is killed a bit grotesquely while on the top of said train.

Several people—many of them entirely innocent—are flat-out murdered in the film. One or two are shot in the back as they try to run. One man is handcuffed to something underwater and presumably drowns. Another person nearly drowns, as well. Bullet lead flies frequently, often finding fleshy termination. (Not everyone dies from these gunshot wounds, but many do.)

People are killed via arrows and (more grotesquely) gigantic harpoons. Cars crash. Planes crash. Trains crash. Bridges collapse. Boats are dynamited. We see several corpses. Punches upon punches are thrown. People are threatened. Various vehicles careen in disturbingly unsafe ways. Indy says that he’s been shot nine times. We hear that Indy’s son died in the war.

Characters must brave eels (which can, and do, issue a painful bite), tarantulas and giant centipedes.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear several misuses each of “d–n” and “h—.” Language such as “crap” and “p-ss” is also used. God’s name is misused three times, once with the word “d–n,” and Jesus’ name is abused once. A racial slur is used.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Indiana’s first scene in 1969 finds him in his apartment, empty bottles strewn about. After Indiana retires, Helena finds him in a nearby bar, drinking. She joins him, and she tries to encourage him to join her quest over glasses of whiskey. He spikes his coffee with a bit of liquor from a flask. The consumption of liquor is fairly common throughout.

Characters—especially Nazis—also smoke. Voller often puffs on cigarettes, while another character chomps on a cigar.

Other Negative Elements

Teddy is a skilled thief. Helena tells Indy that they actually met when Teddy tried to steal her purse. He swipes several possessions during the film, including some money from a couple of Italian kids who made fun of his clothes. While he’s often forced to give the stuff he steals back, he uses that money to buy ice cream.

Helena lies frequently and steals the Antikythera. (She calls it “capitalism.”) She also calls out Indy for his questionable archaeology—saying he’s more a tomb robber than noble scholar. We hear that Indy broke a promise to a friend.

We learn that the American government has shielded an ex-Nazi from prosecution and put him on the payroll, using his expertise to help win the Space Race. (It seems that they’re willing to let a great many things slide when it comes to the behavior of him and his ever-present attaches, but his CIA handler will only go so far for him.)

There are references to blackjack and gambling debts.

Indiana Jones’ adventures have always been, in a way, about time. A 3,000-year-old ark. A 2,000-year-old cup. Stones too ancient to guess. With each new exotic setting, Indy and his friends dive into the dirt of history, peeling away pages of time.

Paradoxically, time has always seemed on the verge of running out on Indy, too. The torch fades. The tank trundles to the edge of the cliff. Even though he’s after such timeless artifacts, Indy always needs to do something right now , before the boulder catches up to him.

On one hand, Indy deals in eons. In the other, seconds.

It seems altogether fitting that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny deals so explicitly with time and the desire to turn it back. Here, we can feel the weight of time not just on Indiana Jones’ adventure, but on Indy himself.

Turns out, he didn’t need to worry about the careening boulder. The thing that threatens to crush Indiana Jones is the sands dropping through the hourglass, one grain at a time.

And yet he still has something to say. And do.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is no Raiders of the Lost Ark . Like Indy himself, the franchise is well past its prime. But it is a reasonably entertaining adventure story that is far better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (the franchise’s midlife crisis, perhaps?) and comes with, if not a treasure, at least a keepsake. A bittersweet poignancy at its core. And while it loses its way sometimes in its own convoluted story, it still boasts heart.

Of course, any archeological dig turns up plenty of unwanted detritus, and Dial of Destiny is no different. You’ll turn up shovelfuls of muck: foul language, irresponsible behavior, drinking, smoking and, of course, tons of violence. Nope, the Indiana Jones franchise didn’t turn all sweet and innocent while you weren’t looking.

But compared to some of the previous installments, the Dial of Destiny does dial the content back—just a touch. So maybe Dr. Jones did mellow in his old age.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY

"love is the true treasure".

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Villains take young teenage boy hostage, hero’s old Egyptian friend appears to be a Muslim immigrant living now in the United States with his family, children and grandchildren, but there are no specific Muslim references, and heroine is somewhat materialistic in an immoral way where she justifies stealing, but she comes to her senses.

More Detail:

Harrison Ford takes up the mantle again in INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, where Indiana Jones, with help from his goddaughter, must stop a former Nazi rocket scientist in 1969, who’s trying to find an ancient time travel device invented by Greek mathematician Archimedes so he can change the outcome of World War II. INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY has all the exciting, suspenseful action scenes and narrow escapes moviegoers expect from an Indiana Jones movie, with Indiana Jones finding, once again, that love is worth all the knowledge in the world, but the movie has some foul language and scary, violent moments that warrant caution for older children.

The movie starts off with a bang. In the Fall of 1945, Indiana and his fellow archeologist, Basil Shaw, are behind German lines following a lead to the Spear of Longinus that pierced Christ’s side. However, the Nazis have captured Indy and are about to hang him, when an Allied bombing raid frees him. Indy dons the uniform of a dead German soldier he shot to infiltrate the Germans and see if the Nazis have the spear.

Meanwhile, a Nazi rocket scientist named Voller has found what looks to be the Spear tip, but he tells the German Colonel taking it back to Hitler that it’s a faked replica. However, Voller tells the Colonel he’s got something much better. It’s half of an ancient device invented by Greek mathematician Archimedes. Voller thinks it’s a time-travel mechanism that can help the Nazis change the past. The Colonel is highly skeptical.

He and Voller get on a speeding train to Berlin. Indy’s friend, Basil, is also on the train after being captured. An exciting chase ensues as Indy drives a car, then a motorcycle to hop on the train, fight a lot of Nazis, and get the device.

Cut to 25 years later, in 1969 New York, just before the Aug. 13 ticker-tape parade for the first astronauts to land on the moon, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Indy has been teaching for 10 years at Harper College there, where he’s now set to retire. Sadly, his son died in the Vietnam War and his wife, Marion, is suing him for divorce because of how the resulting grief and acrimony hurt their marriage.

Voller is still alive and has spent years helping the moon rocket program for the United States. He’s now convinced the CIA to help him search for the second half of the Archimedes device. He, a black female CIA agent and a group of vicious thugs hired by Voller have followed Indy’s goddaughter, Helena, the late Basil Shaw’s daughter to New York. Helena has come to New York to get the device from Indy, who hid it away somewhere after her father became too obsessed with the device and what it can do. Basil thought the two halves of the device could find or create fissures in time to investigate the past.

Helena and Indy are skeptical about her father’s theories, but she wants to take the device from Indy and sell it at an illegal antiquities auction in Morocco. Of course, Voller, the CIA agent and the Nazi thugs show up, trying to grab the device. They kill several people and chase Indy and Helena through New York, including the ticker tape parade and an antiwar protest.

Helena steals the device from Indy and heads off to Morocco. So, Indy follows her there, with Voller and his Nazi thugs not far behind. The chase is on to find the other half of the device before Voller does.

Watching INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY is like revisiting an old friend. The movie has a lot of the exciting and suspenseful realistic action and narrow escapes that one expects from an Indiana Jones movie, but it also has some of the fanciful action that places the action adventure franchise into the realm of heroic fantasy. For example, the more realistic action scenes include a chase sequence shot in the streets of New York and one in Morocco. In the opening sequence, there are some special effects where Indy runs across the top of the speeding train, where he also has to fight Voller and the German Colonel for the device. The final action sequence includes some similar special effects work.

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY has. However, there is some foul language and scary moments involving murder, plane crashes, some bugs in a cave, and a bevy of eels in an underwater sequence. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.

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What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

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In 1981’s Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark , the mercenary archaeologist René Belloq looks his friend-turned-foe Indiana Jones square in the eye and tells him the absolute truth. “Indiana,” he says, “we are simply passing through history.” They’re discussing the treasure they seek: the Ark of the Covenant, which might be just a valuable old artifact or might be the home of the Hebrew God, who knows. “This — this is history.”

Humans die. Civilizations pass away. Artifacts, however, remain. They tell us who we were, and who we still are.

History — the pursuit of it, the commodification of it, our universal fate to live inside of it — is Indiana Jones’s obsession, and that theme bleeds right off the screen and onto us. After all, Raiders was released 42 years ago, before I was born, and the fifth and final film (or so we’re told anyhow ), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, due to arrive in theaters this summer. Watch it at this moment in time, and you’re reminded that you, too, are passing through history. Those movie stars are looking a lot older.

This is a series preoccupied with time and its cousin, mortality, from the characters’ relentless pursuit of the ancient world’s secrets to the poignancy of Jones’s relationships. His adventures are frequently preceded by the revelation that someone or something in his life has died — a friend, a family member, a relationship. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , released in 1989, makes the fact of death especially moving, with its plot point turning on immortality and the Holy Grail. More humorously, cobweb-draped skeletons are strewn liberally throughout the series, reminding us that other explorers and other civilizations have attempted what Indiana is trying to do. He’s just another in a string of adventurers, one who happens to be really good at throwing a punch.

Dial of Destiny feels like an emphatic period at the end of a very long sentence, a sequel making its own case against some future further resurrection — not unlike last year’s Cannes blockbuster premiere, Top Gun: Maverick , or 2021’s fourth installment of The Matrix . That’s not just because Harrison Ford is turning 81 this summer. It’s in the text; Dial of Destiny argues, explicitly, that you have to leave the past in the past, that the only way to ensure the world continues is to put one foot down and then another, moving into the future.

Ironic, yes, for a movie built on giant piles of nostalgia and made by a company that proudly spends most of its money nibbling its own tail . In fact, the entire Indiana Jones concept was nostalgia-driven even before the fedora made its big-screen debut. Harrison Ford’s whip-cracking adventurer descends from swashbuckling heroes of pulp stories and matinee serials that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg loved as kids; like that other franchise Ford launched, the Indy series is both original and pastiche, both contemporary-feeling and set in another time, another place, a world that’s far, far away.

Dial of Destiny is loaded with related ironies, though they’re mostly extratextual. On the screen, it’s fairly straightforward: a sentimental vehicle, one that hits familiar beats and tells familiar jokes, comfort food to make you feel like a kid again for a little while. The Indiana Jones movies , even the bad ones, have always been pretty fun to watch in a cartoon-movie kind of way, while also being aggressively just fine as films — I mean that with fond enthusiasm — and Dial of Destiny fits the bill perfectly.

This installment turns on pieces of a dial created by the Greek mathematician Archimedes, which, like most of the relics that pop up in Indy’s universe, may or may not bestow godlike powers on its wielder. Naturally, the Nazis want it, especially Hitler. So the film opens in 1944, with Indy (a de-aged Ford, though unfortunately nobody thought to sufficiently de-age his voice) fighting Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) to nab it while getting out of one of his signature high-octane scrapes via a familiar combo of costume changes, well-aimed punches, acrobatics, and dumb luck. Then we jump forward to 1969, to discover a very much not de-aged Indy collapsed into his armchair in front of the TV, shirtless and in boxers, snoozing and clutching the dregs of a beer. This is a movie about getting old, after all.

You can deduce the rest — old friends and new, tricks and turns, mysteries, maybe some time travel, the question of whether the magic is real. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in this movie as Helena Shaw, Jones’s archaeologist goddaughter, and injects it with some much-needed joie de vivre. There are some fun chase scenes, though director James Mangold’s visual sense (richly demonstrated in previous films like Logan and Ford v Ferrari ) falls a little flat next to the memory of Steven Spielberg’s direction. But for the most part, it’s all here again. I don’t want to spoil your fun.

Yet a thread that’s run through the whole four-decade series, with heightened irony every time it comes up, is the battle between Indy — who firmly believes that history’s relics ought to be in a museum for everyone to enjoy — and fortune-seeking mercenaries or power-seeking Nazis, who want to privately acquire those artifacts for their own reasons. (Leaving the artifact where it is, perhaps even among its people, still doesn’t really seem to be an option.) It’s a mirror for the very real theft of artifacts throughout history by invading or colonizing forces, the taking of someone else’s culture for your own use or to assert your own dominance. That battle crops up again in this installment, with both mercenaries and Nazis on offer. Shaw, voicing a darker archaeological aim, wryly insists that thieving is just capitalism, and that cash is the only thing worth believing in; Voller’s aims are much darker.

It’s all very fitting in a movie about an archaeologist set in the midcentury. But you have to notice the weird Hollywood resonance. When Raiders first hit the big screen, it was always intended to be the first in a series, much like Lucas and Spielberg’s beloved childhood serials. (The pair in fact made their initial Indiana Jones deal with Paramount for five movies.) But while some bits (and chunks) of the 1980s films have aged pretty badly, they endure in part because they’re remixes that are alive with imagination and even whimsy, the product so clearly of some guys who wanted to play around with the kinds of stories they loved as children.

Now, in the IP era , remixing is a fraught endeavor. The gatekeepers, owners and fans alike, are often very cranky. The producers bank on more of the same, not the risk of a new idea. The artifacts belong to them , and they call the shots, and tell you when you can have access or not. (The evening Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opened at Cannes, Disney — already infamously known for locking its animation away in a vault and burying the work of companies it acquires — announced it would start removing dozens of its own series from its streamers.) Rather than move into the future and support some new sandboxes, the Hollywood of today mostly maniacally rehashes what it’s already done. It envisions a future where what’s on offer is mostly what we’ve already had before.

In this I hear echoes of thinkers like Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer — two men who fled the Nazis, incidentally — who proposed the culture industry was giving people the illusion of choice, but only the freedom to choose what they said was on offer. You can have infinite variations on the same thing.

It’s a sentiment strangely echoed in Dial of Destiny . One night, Shaw is doing a card trick for some sailors, who are astounded that when they call out the seven of clubs, that’s what they pull out of the deck. But she shows Indy how she does it — by forcing the card on them, without them realizing. “I offer the feeling of choice, but I ultimately make you pick the one I want,” she explains, with a wry grin.

After 40 years and change, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases into a world where there’s more stuff than ever to watch, but somehow it feels like we have less choice, less chance of discovery. It is our moment in history — an artifact of what it was to be alive right now. When the historians of the future look back, I have to wonder what they’ll see, and thus who, in the end, they’ll think we really were.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is playing in theaters worldwide.

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‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Review: Turning Back the Clock

The gruff appeal of Harrison Ford, both de-aged and properly weathered, is the main draw in this generally silly entry in the long-running franchise.

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By Manohla Dargis

What makes Indy run? For years, the obvious answer was Steven Spielberg, who, starting in 1981 with “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” guided Harrison Ford’s hunky archaeologist, Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr., in and out of gnarly escapades and ripped shirts in four box-office behemoths. By the time Spielberg directed Ford in their last outing, “ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ” (2008), Indy was in his late 50s and fans were speculating that the character was immortal, even if the franchise itself had begun running on fumes.

As a longtime big Hollywood star and hitmaker, Ford had already achieved an immortality of a kind. Indy-ologists, though, were more focused on the eternal life that Indy might have been granted by the Holy Grail when he takes a healthy swig from it in his third outing, “The Last Crusade” (1989). It’s pretty clear from his newest venture, the overstuffed if not entirely charmless “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” that while Indy may not in fact be immortal, the brain trust overseeing this installment wishes he were. They haven’t simply brought the character back for another go, they have also given him a digital face-lift.

The face-lift is as weird and distracting as this kind of digital plastic surgery tends to be, though your mileage will vary as will your philosophical objections to the idea that Ford needed to be de-aged to draw an audience, even for a 42-year-old franchise that’s now older than most North American moviegoers. The results don’t have the spooky emptiness of uncanny-valley faces. That said, the altered Indy is cognitively dissonant; I kept wondering what they’d done to — or perhaps with — Ford. It turns out that when he wasn’t getting body doubled, he was on set hitting his marks before his face was sent out to be digitally refreshed.

The guy you’re familiar with eventually appears — with wrinkles and gray hair, though without a shirt or pants, huzzah — but first you need to get past the prolonged opener, which plays like a franchise highlight reel. These nods to the past are unsurprising for a series steeped in nostalgia. “Raiders” was created by Spielberg’s pal, George Lucas, who saw it as a homage to the serials that he’d loved as a kid. Lucas envisioned a hero along the lines of Humphrey Bogart in “Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” but with morals (more or less), while Spielberg was interested in making a Bond-style film without the hardware and gimmicks.

As soon as the younger Indy appears in “Dial of Destiny,” it’s clear that the nostalgic love for old Hollywood that defined and shaped the original film has been supplanted by an equally powerful nostalgia for the series itself. That helps explain why this movie finds Indy once again battling Nazis, who make conveniently disposable villains for a movie banking on international sales. After directing “Schindler’s List” (1993), Spielberg expressed reluctance to make Nazis “Saturday-matinee villains,” as he once put it . The team here, by contrast, knows no such hesitation, even if evoking Spielberg’s films inevitably raises comparisons that do no one any favors, particularly the franchise’s new director, James Mangold.

The movie opens in 1944 with Indy — wearing an enemy uniform as he did in “Raiders” — being held captive, a sack coyly obscuring his head while Nazi hordes scurry about. Once the sack comes off — ta-da! — the plot thickens with a mysterious antique (à la “Raiders”), nods to the Führer, the introduction of an Indy colleague (Toby Jones) and dastardly doings from a fanatic (Mads Mikkelsen, whose face has been similarly ironed out). There’s an explosion, a sprint to freedom, a zipping car, a zooming motorcycle (as in “The Last Crusade”) and a dash atop a moving train (ditto), a busy pileup that Mangold finesses with spatial coherency.

Things improve once the story cuts to 1969 and Ford and his beautiful, lived-in, expressively alive face make their entrance, with Indy staggering awake wearing just boxer shorts, an intro that elicits chuckles, admiration and bittersweet feelings because Ford’s years are etched into every crease. After some more preliminaries, Indy finds his usual fast-paced groove with familiar friends, foes, narrative beats and action-flick clichés, including a gal pal, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge, from “Fleabag”), who’s an ethically challenged wisenheimer. The script — by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp and Mangold — keeps playing the greatest hits, at times nearly blow-for-blow, kiss-for-kiss.

The story turns on the treasure, a prize that dates back several thousand years and, like time, just keeps slipping away. Pressed to retrieve it, Indy suits up — fedora, bullwhip, leather jacket, check, check and check — and he and Helena race around the globe chasing it while trading banter and, by turns, evading and fighting villains. For some reason, a grizzled Antonio Banderas pops in as a boat captain. At another point, Indy et al. land in Tangier, a setting that evokes “Raiders” and, uncomfortably, the scene in which Indy shoots a sword-wielding Arab, a death that Spielberg played for laughs and that distills that film’s breezy colonialist mind-set.

“Dial of Destiny” avoids such missteps simply by taking aim at Nazis. Indy and company still embark on breakneck chases in putatively exotic locations — including on tippy three-wheelers that careen through Tangier — but with less obvious collateral damage to the locals, if not their food stalls. Like all the action sequences here, this one drags on long enough to kill the fun. Mangold can do action. He’s best known for “ Logan ,” that rare comic-book movie that achieves a just-so balance between genre familiarity and novelty; he should be better known for “ Ford v Ferrari ,” a smart, nimble car story that underscores he can do one of the hardest things in film, which is to turn two people just talking to each other into cinema.

The Indiana Jones series was customized for mass appeal, which doesn’t leave room for Mangold to do much, though at times he slows things down enough for Ford to shift rhythm. It’s hard to believe this or any other installment would have worked half as well without Ford, whose gruffly appealing, unthreatening (to women, importantly) masculine persona has always felt natural and unforced. No matter how outrageous Indy’s trouble, Ford’s persona and outwardly effortless charm — and his ability to drop that rakish smile for something darker, meaner, even threatening — have kept the character tethered to the real world of feelings and consequences. Lucas and Spielberg sketched a cartoon; Ford created a character.

That character, or rather Ford, or really the two of them together are the main arguments for seeing “Dial of Destiny,” which is as silly as you expect and not altogether as successful as you may hope. Among other things, it takes a while to settle down. Everything seems overly strained, at least at first, including the pacing, the story and Waller-Bridge’s performance. It all improves as it continues, or maybe I just surrendered, yielding to the movie’s disposable pleasures, its yearning to entertain you, Mangold’s old-school classicism and, of course, Ford, who, as befits a Hollywood veteran confident enough to make a grand entrance in only his boxers, can still run away with a movie — and run and run — without breaking a sweat.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Rated PG-13 for largely bloodless violence. Running time: 2 hours 34 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis is the chief film critic of The Times, which she joined in 2004. She has an M.A. in cinema studies from New York University, and her work has been anthologized in several books. More about Manohla Dargis

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny First Reviews: 'Safe,' 'Wacky,' 'Empty,' Critics Say

"harrison ford's performance carries the movie" and more opinions from cannes film festival critics about the latest indiana jones adventure, in which ford revisits his role as the titular hero one last time..

TAGGED AS: Film , Lucasfilm , movie , Walt Disney Pictures

Exactly 15 years after the Cannes premiere of the previous installment, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny   just made its debut at the same film festival, and the first reviews have made their way online. This fifth movie in the franchise sees Harrison Ford return as the titular adventuring archaeologist, with many of his scenes set in the past using de-aging special effects.

Also along for the ride are Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indy’s goddaughter and Antonio Banderas as a new ally, while John Rhys-Davies returns as Sallah, last seen in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . James Mangold directs Dial of Destiny , taking over from Steven Spielberg, who helmed the first four Indiana Jones movies.

Here’s what critics are saying about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny .

(Photo by Lucasfilm)

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Does it live up to expectations?

“It’s fun; it’s wacky; it works.” – Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily

“We all sat down to this movie hoping for a resurgence comparable to what JJ Abrams did with The Force Awakens, and if that didn’t exactly happen, it still gets up a storytelling gallop.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“James Mangold brings the character’s adventures to a satisfying close.” – James Mottram, South China Morning Post

“If this is the final Indiana Jones movie, as it most likely will be, it’s nice to see that they stuck the landing.” – Steve Pond, The Wrap

“Unfortunately, it ultimately feels like a counterfeit of priceless treasure: the shape and the gleam of it might be superficially convincing for a bit, but the shabbier craftsmanship gets all the more glaring the longer you look.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“A belabored reminder that some relics are better left where and when they belong.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

“We have lived with worse.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

Where does it rank among the other Indiana Jones movies?

Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf, Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Photo by ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection)

“It’s an improvement on the execrable Crystal Skull .” – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

“This one has quite a bit of zip and fun and narrative ingenuity with all its MacGuffiny silliness that the last one really didn’t.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“ Dial of Destiny feels like an old-school Indy romp, more so than 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , as it tries to capture the rollicking spirit of the originals.” – James Mottram, South China Morning Post

“ Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may not be the finest film of the franchise, but it’s far from the worst.” – Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture

“Nobody with a brain in their heads will compare Dial of Destiny favorably to the first three films.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

“Four were enough.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

What are some other comparable movies?

National Treasure (2004) stars Diane Kruger, Nicolas Cage, and Justin Bartha (Photo by Touchstone/courtesy Everett Collection)

“There are big National Treasure vibes…take from that what you will.” – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

“It could give late-vintage Fast & Furious a very, very speedy run for its money when it comes to spectacular (and spectacularly ludicrous) SFX stunts.” – Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily

How is Harrison Ford’s return as Indiana Jones?

“Ford is beyond triumphant…his performance shines in the sense that the audience can feel the deeply emotional send-off he personally is giving his character in every quip, every punch, and every heartfelt adage that comes off his lips.” – Lex Briscuso, Slashfilm

“At 80 years old, Ford himself really gives it his all, even though the role initially requires him to look like he’d rather be anywhere else.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“Now 80 years young, but carrying it off with humor and style and still nailing that reluctant crooked smile.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“He never loses either his scowl or his doggedness. He plays even the flimsiest scenes with conviction and dry humour. His performance carries the movie. Age cannot wither him in the slightest.” – Geoffrey Macnab, Independent

“Ford often seems disengaged, as if he’s weighing up whether this will restore the tarnished luster to his iconic action hero or reveal that he’s past his expiration date.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

What about Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s new character?

“She is gratifyingly badass.” – Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily

“Like Karen Allen’s Marion in the first film, a Howards Hawksian woman.” – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

“Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a tremendous co-star turn as Indy’s roguish goddaughter.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“Waller-Bridge has clearly been given the instruction to ‘just do Fleabag ’ but she’s operating without Fleabag -level material here, and her frequent attempts to juice up the clumsy gags with her trademark winking delivery tend to fall flat.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“While Phoebe Waller-Bridge, of Fleabag fame, makes her saucy, spiky, and duplicitous in a cheeky way (she’s like the young Maggie Smith with a boatload of attitude), we never feel in our guts that Helena is a chip off the old Indy block.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

How are the movie’s villains?

Mads Mikkelsen (left) and Thomas Kretschmann (far right) in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“As Jürgen Voller, Mads Mikkelsen is enjoyably hissable.” – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

“Mikkelsen, flanked by some heavies including Boyd Holbrook, is an excellent adversary.” – James Mottram, South China Morning Post

“He’s an infuriating villain, one that feels both menacing and overwhelming in his brutish intelligence — the kind of adversary it seems impossible to defeat, and thus the perfect final match for the one and only Indiana Jones.” – Lex Briscuso, Slashfilm

“Mikkelsen can be a fabulously debonair villain (see: Casino Royale ), but any interesting idiosyncrasies the character might have exhibited are drowned in convoluted plot. This calls for a larger-than-life bad guy, and he’s somehow smaller.” – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

“Mads Mikkelsen, with his lizard scowl and his shiny metallic hair, doesn’t play Voller as a realistic character. He’s a leering megalomaniac out of central casting.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

“Unfortunately, what we get is the pantomimic, hubristic, goose-stepping version of the Nazis.” – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

Are the action scenes worth the price of admission?

“The action is often very inventively staged. James Mangold, who has taken over directing duties from Steven Spielberg, sets a breakneck tempo.” – Geoffrey Macnab, Independent

“A bit involving a very heavy bomb is worthy of any movie this franchise has ever produced.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

“There are plenty of jolly chases, including a tuk-tuk vs classic Jag event in the narrow streets of Tangier.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Photo by Jonathan Olley/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“The action is generic and clunkily staged – for all the local detail in every individual shot of the heavily advertised tuk-tuk chase, it might as well be taking place on an endless conveyor belt.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“Endless action sequences can become so flabbily overblown they lose any punch, but [Mangold] is never anything but brisk.” – Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily

“Like virtually all action sequences these days, this one suffers from the fact that visual effects can do pretty much anything, which tends to strip away any sense of surprise, novelty or even high stakes, no matter how frantic and extravagant things get.” – Steve Pond, The Wrap

“[They] utilize too much (far too much) of the era’s computer-generated imagery.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

Does it otherwise look good?

Boyd Holbrook in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“The recreations of the 1960s vistas are gorgeous.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

“There’s no shot here, nor twist of choreography, that makes you marvel at the filmmaking mind that conceived it.” – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

“The climax of the film…looks washed out and sallow.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

Is the script satisfying?

Harrison Ford, Mads Mikkelsen, and Toby Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“The plot is hokum of the cheesiest hue, but the screenwriters know that hokum is the mulch in which this franchise germinates.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

“The screenplay does provide a few big laughs.” – Jo-Ann Titmarsh, London Evening Standard

“The screenplay sometimes seems like a mish-mash of elements from the older movies thrown together in scattergun fashion.” – Geoffrey Macnab, Independent

“The globe-trotting can occasionally feel a bit MacGuffin-by-numbers: we must find the thing, which leads us to the map, which will help find the other thing.” – John Nugent, Empire Magazine

“One can feel the four credited screenwriters grasping at inspiration and coming up short.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

“Considering that the screenplay is credited to four writers, couldn’t they at least have thought of something cool for Indy to do with his whip?” – Nicholas Barber, BBC.com

Does it lean too much on nostalgia?

Harrison Ford de-aged in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

“It contains lots of satisfying fan service, from old friends popping up, to familiar situations unfolding in different ways.” – Steve Pond, The Wrap

“Just hearing John Williams’ score, yet another variant on the heroics and theatrics of the original, makes anyone of a certain age feel that everything is momentarily right with the world.” – Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily

“This is an exercise in affectionate nostalgia.” – Geoffrey Macnab, Independent

“At least this film’s easy nostalgia has some meta-textual purpose behind it.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

“The film just about gets a passing grade for not going too heavy on the nostalgia-porn fan service.” – David Jenkins, Little White Lies

Is Steven Spielberg missed?

“The missing component is Steven Spielberg, for as talented as a director James Mangold is, he cannot measure up to the cinematic brilliance that Spielberg imbues into each of his projects.” – Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture

“James Mangold, tasked with living up to a fearsome legacy, is competent with an action set piece, but displays little of Spielberg’s nimble, inventive physics, or of Spielberg’s famous gift for conjuring awe.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

“It’s content to tick off everything you’ve seen in other Indiana Jones films already, but with little of Spielberg’s sparkle.” – Nicholas Barber, BBC.com

“The biggest (or at least most evident) difference between Spielberg and Mangold is that one of them would never have allowed himself to make anything this stale, and one of them probably wasn’t given any other choice.” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Are there any other major issues?

Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Photo by Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“As the film goes on, the focus on uninteresting puzzles becomes a bit tedious.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

“Tonally, the film wavers. It pulls in too many different directions at once.” – Geoffrey Macnab, Independent

“One problem is the title relic, a curio of Ancient Greek lore rumored to give its possessor the power of time travel… Dial of Destiny ’s digression from holiness, though, is less than inspiring.” – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Parent Guide

Fun and fast-paced, this is a fitting conclusion to the beloved franchise..

Theaters: During the Space Race, Dr. Indiana Jones faces off against ex-Nazis who've been recruited by NASA on the hunt for a mysterious artefact with time-manipulating powers.

Release date June 30, 2023

Run Time: 142 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by keith hawkes.

With a personal history that includes exploits like finding the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, you’d think old age might hold some pleasant surprises for Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones (Harrison Ford). Instead, his “golden years” feature a dingy New York apartment, a thankless teaching job, and a pending divorce.

Things start looking up when Jones runs into Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), his goddaughter and the only child of Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), an old friend from the War. She’s looking for Archimedes’ Dial, an artefact alleged to have been built by the famed mathematician himself, and which is reputed to predict astrological events uncannily well. Jones and Basil once rescued the Dial from a singularly unpleasant Nazi scientist named Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), and Helena is trying to track it down. Unfortunately, Voller is also looking for it. He shares Basil’s belief that the dial can predict the position and destination of rips in time. If Voller can get his hands on it before Jones does, then the outcome of World War II is going to change dramatically.

In spite of that, and not because of the somewhat clumsy ending, the movie left me sad. It’s a good, fun, fast-paced action film, exactly the kind of summer blockbuster you were expecting. But that’s the problem. This is a summer blockbuster in this foul year of our Lord 2023, and it will never have the same sparkle in its eye as a summer blockbuster from 1981. For better or worse, movies were just different 42 years ago. Everything old may be new again, but nothing new will ever be old. Time passes. Trends and preferences change. Technology leaps ahead of our ability to use it. With Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , it was easier to write off my personal disquiet – the film was terrible, both for its time and for all others. But with Dial of Destiny , we’re shown an Indiana Jones movie which is good for what it is – but it can never be what it was.

The first time I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark , I thought I had finally been allowed to watch a real, honest-to-goodness grown-up movie. It had everything – insidious Nazis, car chases, ancient relics, beautiful women, monkeys, snakes, and a guy getting mulched into an airplane propeller. My understanding of film has broadened somewhat since I was twelve years old, but I still see that movie as the epitome of adventure, excitement, and the inherent romance of film. For its flaws, I can’t help but tip my hat to Dial of Destiny as it passes through, but it was never going to be able to fill the shoes of the giants on whose shoulders it stands.

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Keith hawkes, watch the trailer for indiana jones and the dial of destiny.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Rating & Content Info

Why is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny rated PG-13? Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking.

Violence: People are beaten, shot, and blown up. Characters unsuccessfully attempt to hang a man. Individuals are impaled with ancient siege weapons. Several men fatally fall out of an airplane. Sexual Content: None. Profanity: There are frequent uses of mild curses and terms of deity. Alcohol / Drug Use: Adult characters are seen drinking socially and occasionally seen smoking cigarettes. A background character holds what looks like a marijuana joint, but it’s never addressed.

Page last updated June 29, 2023

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For more adventures in illegitimate archaeology featuring Indy, try Raiders of the Lost Ark , Temple of Doom , The Last Crusade , or heaven help you, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . If you’re looking for a different take on a similar theme, try National Treasure , National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets , The Vault , The Da Vinci Code , The Mummy , Uncharted , or The Lost City . For slightly more realistic depictions of archaeology, try The Dig or The Lost City of Z .

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review: Disney whips up a lively (final?) adventure

If Indiana Jones does hang up his hat, the fifth film is a surprisingly emotional, diverting, and satisfying conclusion.

Maureen Lee Lenker is a senior writer at Entertainment Weekly with over seven years of experience in the entertainment industry. An award-winning journalist, she's written for Turner Classic Movies, Ms. Magazine , The Hollywood Reporter , and more. She's worked at EW for six years covering film, TV, theater, music, and books. The author of EW's quarterly romance review column, "Hot Stuff," Maureen holds Master's degrees from both the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford. Her debut novel, It Happened One Fight , is now available. Follow her for all things related to classic Hollywood, musicals, the romance genre, and Bruce Springsteen.

It's not the years, it's the mileage… and in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, out June 30, the titular hero racks up plenty of thrilling miles in what is supposedly his farewell to the big screen.

We open on a younger Indy (a de-aged Harrison Ford in the best use of the often questionable technology to date) running for his life amidst the death throes of the Third Reich. Infiltrating a Nazi treasure trove, he and fellow academic/archaeologist Basil Shaw ( Toby Jones ) attempt to recover priceless historical artifacts from the retreating Nazis. On board a train, Indy encounters Jürgen Voller ( Mads Mikkelsen ), a Nazi mathematician intent on locating the Dial of Destiny, more formally known as Archimedes' antikythera, a cosmological device with potentially world-altering powers.

Flash forward to 1969 and the celebration of the moon landing in New York City. Indiana Jones is living alone. He mourns his son Mutt, who died in combat in the Vietnam War (an expedient end to the problematic specter of what to do about Shia LaBeouf 's existence within the franchise); he's separated from Marion ( Karen Allen ); and he's now preparing to retire from Hunter College where he's been a professor for over a decade.

His lonely life is interrupted by the arrival of Helena Shaw ( Phoebe Waller-Bridge ), his goddaughter, who is on the hunt for the antikythera with questionable motives. Helena's appearance and bid for the dial thrusts Indy into a new adventure where he must once again face off against Voller, who now goes by the name of Professor Schmitt, and stop his quest to return the Nazi regime to power.

Ford returns as Indy, but he's not merely a guy with a cool hat and a bullwhip with a few more lines on his face. Just as James Mangold did for Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in Logan , he presents an Indiana Jones weathered by life — a man who has spent decades chasing down ancient artifacts and fighting Nazis.

Indiana Jones has always been a world-weary guy, cynical and full of wise cracks in the face of danger, but here, he feels like he's finally earned it. Ford's soulful, craggy face is the cipher for the lifetime of adventure, physical pain, and loss that Indy has endured. There's humor in that, as when Indy lists off some of the more ridiculous things he has done while scaling a wall with Helena. But there's sadness too, in the friends he's lost and the tragedy he has faced.

Ford has always lent Indy a humanity and depth that is too often ignored in favor of celebrating his capacity for dry one-liners and his rugged good looks (both well-deserving of the praise they've received). Here, he gets to unleash the emotional side of Indy, his reverence for history and love for those he holds dear visibly weighing him down. In 1969, as humanity looks to the future, Indiana Jones, a man dedicated to protecting the past, is a man out of place in his own time. Ford's curmudgeonly restraint barely conceals the open wounds of his losses.

Dial of Destiny is often best in its moments of quiet resonance, but it doesn't leave enough breathing room to maximize the impact of Ford's performance. Instead, the film volleys from one action sequence to the next, whether it be a dangerous dive into deep ocean waters, a horse race through New York City streets and subways(!), or a perilous car chase through Tangiers. Mangold crafts these scenes with precision, building them to a fever pitch and then throttling the accelerator when it seems the scene has peaked. This makes the pacing wonky, and more scenes of introspective Indy would have been welcome in exchange for shaving a few minutes off the nonstop danger. But that doesn't make the sequences any less exciting or nerve-wracking, generating an old-school adventure energy reminiscent of the original trilogy.

Unlike the monkey swinging or the infamous nuclear explosion refrigerator nonsense of Crystal Skull, the action here also feels utterly believable. The physical toll it takes on an older Indy is palpable, the stakes higher because of the acknowledgement of his mortality. At his best, Indiana Jones has always been a hero that feels utterly human. Maybe a little smarter than the rest of us, but no less earthbound. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, when he takes a punch to the jaw, we feel it — and Dial remembers that Indy's greatest asset is his conspicuous humanity in the face of peril.

Waller-Bridge, who leaped from Fleabag 's critical acclaim to writing for James Bond and starring in an Indiana Jones flick, is a saucy, slippery foil to Ford. Where Marion was feisty and reckless, and Dr. Henry Jones ( Sean Connery) was persnickety and gruff, Helena is whimsical and brash. Her loyalties shift faster than sand in an hourglass, keeping Indiana Jones, and by extension, the audience, on their toes. Waller-Bridge has a winking sense of humor as a performer that imbues her natural ability to make the audience believe they're her confidantes while remaining delightfully unpredictable.

Mikkelsen, a prince of silver-tongued, elegant villainy, is under-used. Jürgen Voller lacks distinction as a villain, possessing neither the naked ambition of Belloq (Paul Freeman) from Raiders or the self-serving sycophancy of Walter Donovan (Julian Glover) in Last Crusade. While his goons are outright unhinged, Voller is chilled cardboard, a Nazi who lacks any personality besides his commitment to the ideals of Nazism. His villainy lacks teeth, but perhaps that's because the notion of bringing fascism back feels like a day-to-day occurrence in our world. He's not half so frightening as anything on the nightly news.

Dial of Destiny is 85 percent of a delightful return to form for the franchise and 15 percent absolutely ludicrous climax. We won't spoil the reveal, but suffice it to say it leans too heavily into a plot point that Marvel and DC have exhausted in recent years — and the temporal, geographical place it decides to take its climactic sequence is both outlandish and entirely too on-the-nose.

It's not that Indiana Jones hasn't always built its stories around fantastical ancient artifacts. (See: the Ark of the Covenant, the Sankara Stones, the Holy Grail, and, sigh, the Crystal Skull.) The antikythera is as good a McGuffin as any other (and it is based on a real scientific device from ancient Greece). But while the mystical, inexplicable power of objects like the Ark and the Grail have the capacity to shock and awe, the antikythera is merely a tool for a tired trope with a payoff that verges on tritely absurd.

One can understand the allegorical impulse of the storytelling device. This older, probably not wiser version of Indiana Jones is one who feels as much a relic as the artifacts he's dedicated his life to studying and preserving. It's hard to resist literalizing the metaphor in a story where the hero is made to feel like time has passed him by. But it doesn't land the way the filmmakers intended, instead undercutting Indy's reckoning with history and his place in it.

It's a testament to Ford's performance and the movie's overall effectiveness that this disappointing climax doesn't outweigh how much fun it all is. Much like the entries of the original trilogy, at its heart, Dial is a rip-roaring adventure that borrows more from the cinematic language of golden age swashbucklers than modern blockbusters.

In a sense, Indiana Jones has always been about nostalgia. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas set out to make movies that evoked the 1940s serials they loved growing up. That operates on two levels in Dial of Destiny, both in the film's historical setting and our own yen for the way the original movies made us feel.

Dial uses nostalgia as an appetizer, not a main course, and it's absolutely delicious for it. Nothing feels pandering, but rather each nod to the past is welcome in its measured distribution, as cozy and familiar as a favorite sweater or reconnecting with an old friend. Speaking of, Sallah ( John Rhys-Davis ) is back, but mainly as a vestige of the life Indy feels he's lost. Sallah too yearns for their shared past.

There are nods to our hero's well cataloged hatred of snakes, a cheeky reversal of the Raiders bringing a knife (or whip) to a gunfight, plenty of traveling by map, and a tear-jerking return to kissing where it doesn't hurt, all set to the core memory sounds of John Williams ' inimitable score (including a new theme for Helena!).

Much has been made of the fact that Dial will be Ford's last outing in the franchise. The movie has been billed as a send-off for Indiana Jones, but it doesn't feel definitive, particularly when the film's final shot makes a very decisive point about Ford/Indy hanging up the hat.

If it is indeed the last we'll see of Ford's Indiana Jones, it's a far more satisfying goodbye than where we last left him. But Dial makes one thing clear: whatever happens next, this franchise still has fresh skullduggery left to explore. Indiana Jones does not (and will never) belong in a museum. He's far too vital for that; his mileage, as a character and a pop culture icon, is infinite. Grade : B+

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The Dial of Destiny is a ruminative, remedial Indiana Jones history lesson

The newest indiana jones movie isn’t trying to reinvent the classic lucasfilm formula, but it is trying to make you think about what it really means to obsess about the past..

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

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The more reverence you have for Lucasfilm’s original Indiana Jones films and the younger, scrappier Harrison Ford who made them so mesmerizing to watch, the less fun you’re likely to have with director James Mangold’s The Dial of Destiny. But if you, like Ford , have spent some time really disabusing yourself of the idea that nostalgic warm and fuzzies are the only feelings moviegoers should be searching for in the cinema, The Dial of Destiny might just surprise you with how hard it’s working to say something poignant about who Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr. is.

Set largely in the late summer of 1969 right as he’s planning to retire, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny tells the story of how, after years of being out of the madcap adventuring and treasure-hunting games, Indiana Jones finds himself sucked into yet another unbelievable predicament stemming from — what else — his time fighting Nazis during World War II.

This post includes very light spoilers for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, so proceed with caution if you’ve not yet seen it.

Before The Dial of Destiny fully focuses on Indy’s present, the movie actually opens decades before in the mid-40s right as Jones and his fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) were captured by Hitler’s goons while searching for a legendary (and biblical) artifact to steal from them.

As old-hat as Indiana Jones using his wits and charm to out-maneuver cartoonish European villains is for the franchise, The Dial of Destiny tries to breathe new life into that facet of these stories by working the deepest, darkest de-aging technological magicks on Ford’s 80-year-old face during flashbacks to transform him into a barely convincing likeness of his 45-year-old self. For the most part, it’s genuinely astounding and only but so unsettling to see Ford-as-Jones in his swarthy, sweaty prime punching Nazis and ogling the invaluable relics they’re attempting to spirit away to the führer as the Allied forces descend upon Germany.

Part of what makes the de-aging here work so well for Ford but less so for the younger version of Nazi researcher Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) is the way that flashback Indy is very clearly the product of VFX artists using AI tools trained on old Indiana Jones footage to subtly dial back the aging we’ve witnessed Ford go through. But as soon as Ford — who delivered a motion capture performance for the flashbacks assisted by stunt double Mike Massa — begins to talk and move around in his youthful guise, you immediately clock that there’s an octogenarian acting beneath all those visual effects and the illusion’s effectiveness wavers.

It feels a little too generous to call the uncanny dreaminess — a not altogether off-putting un-reality — that defines the de-aged Ford wholly intentional on The Dial of Destiny ’s part. The effect smacks of an unsettling desire on Disney’s part to keep the Indiana Jones IP machine running complete with Ford’s likeness long after he himself steps away from the franchise. But the way The Dial of Destiny juxtaposes the idealized frozen-in-time Indy of 1944 with the world-weary, worse-for-wear, and regretful Indiana of 1969 does a magnificent job of establishing one of the movie’s core ideas: that obsessively reveling in the past’s greatness rather than embracing the present is a surefire way to set one’s self up for misery.

There’s quite a bit of that idea present in The Dial of Destiny ’s depiction of Jones as an older, wiser man whose specialized passion for history feels at odds with the younger public’s fascination with the Apollo Moon landing and really the future in general. But you can also see it reflected in the way the movie catches up with Voller in the present, where he and a number of Nazi sympathizers are rather free to move through the world — so long as they’re with their government handler Mason (Shaunette Renée Wilson) — after having been hired by NASA to help put a man on the Moon. Pitting Indiana Jones against Nazis is nothing new for these movies.

What does feel surprisingly fresh and quite tapped into our own current real-world political moment , though, is the way The Dial of Destiny frames Voller’s past and his fixation on lost glory as evils that’ve become subsumed into society rather than stamped out — in part because of people’s refusal to fully engage with the past and see the man as the quiet, deranged Nazi that he actually is.

In presenting Indiana Jones as a historian who remembers things (because he was there) rather than an old man who feels like he’s being left behind by the progress of time, The Dial of Destiny avoids some of the cringey narrative pitfalls that made 2008’s The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull such a rough ride. But this presentation also lends a kind of narrative neatness to the way that Basil Shaw’s daughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) — a brainy student of history who takes after her godfather — comes crashing into back Indy’s life for the first time in more than a decade.

Because we’ve had so much time to spend with Ford’s Jones over the years, with him specifically, there’s a certain degree to which The Dial of Destiny ’s able to get away with merely mentioning and gesturing toward off-screen events that’ve turned him into the man he is here. Because Helena’s such a new presence, though, and the movie doesn’t spend all that much time really letting her just exist before the action picks up, it’s often hard not to see her and her pickpocket sidekick Teddy (Ethann Isidore) as Disney’s new, remixed spins on Marion (Karen Allen) Short Round, and Crystal Skull ’s Mutt. But as somewhat derivative as their characters feel, Waller-Bridge and Isidore are clearly having proper fun with the roles and know exactly what sort of energy classic Indiana Jones supporting characters call for.

But ultimately, that strength ends up cutting both ways like a double-edged sword because of how they highlight some of The Dial of Destiny ’s less-inspired instances of drawing on classic Indiana Jones beats. As good as it is to see The Dial of Jones pump the brakes on the exoticism that’s always plagued these films, there are many times where it feels as if, after making that solid judgment call, Mangold opted to recreate more than a few too many moments from older Indiana Jones , only with new characters delivering those same iconic lines.

This all has a handy way of making The Dial of Destiny play like a big, epic retrospective of Indy’s greatest hits, which might work for some viewers (the way it did for me). But for hardcore fans looking for something that feels innovative and new on all fronts, they might find the film lacking.

Thankfully, something the film isn’t lacking at all is a broad variety of action-packed (if occasionally overlong) set pieces that play to Mangold’s strengths as a director who knows how to use his camera to transform even the most haggard-seeming characters into revitalized, robust, heroic versions of themselves — a talent that works to Ford’s benefit. With Ford insisting that The Dial of Destiny is his final outing as Jones, it’s not entirely clear what the future holds for the franchise, let alone any of this movie’s new characters. But the way The Dial of Destiny comes to a close is one of the more fascinating and risky choices Lucasfilm and Disney have ever gone with for an Indiana Jones movie, and it very well could be a sign of even more interesting things to come.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also stars Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, and Alaa Safi. The movie is in theaters now.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review - Harrison Ford cracks the whip in taut sequel

There’s still much to dig about the octogenarian archeologist as he teams up with Phoebe Waller-Bridge to re-defeat the Nazis

S o the boulder of intellectual property and franchise brand identity rolls on … bringing us Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth film in which the legendary archaeologist and whip-cracking adventurer is back for another go-around. He is, of course, played by the legendary Harrison Ford , now 80 years young, but carrying it off with humour and style and still nailing that reluctant crooked smile.

It’s the first Indiana Jones film not to be directed by Steven Spielberg – James Mangold is now at the helm – but despite that, this one has quite a bit of zip and fun and narrative ingenuity with all its MacGuffiny silliness that the last one (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) really didn’t.

We all sat down to this movie hoping for a resurgence comparable to what JJ Abrams did with The Force Awakens, and if that didn’t exactly happen, it still gets up a storytelling gallop. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a tremendous co-star turn as Indy’s roguish goddaughter Helena Shaw, who wears shorts and shirt making her look like a grownup, naughty Enid Blyton heroine. And in fact some amazing digital youthification effects give Indy himself a great opening flashback section back in the second world war.

Back in the bad old days of 1944, with the Third Reich beginning to crumble, intrepid young spy Indiana Jones is captured by the fiendish Nazis along with his pal, Professor Basil Shaw, in which small role it is a pleasure to see Toby Jones.

They grab what the Germans want: the extant half of a much-desired artefact created by Archimedes, the Dial of Destiny, which allows its owner to control the forces of space and time, but which Archimedes prudently split into two and hid the other half. A chase with a nasty German, Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkeksen) leaves this whole business unresolved but fast-forward to the present day – the Space Age late 60s, and grumpy old Indiana Jones is retiring, miserable at his irrelevance in the modern world. But this same Voller under a fake name is the brains behind the Apollo 11 moon landing, having conned the US federal government, represented by Agent Mason (Shaunette Renée Wilson) and still dreams of controlling the universe and reintroducing Nazism by joining the Dial’s two halves.

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Only Indy can stop him, along with his scapegrace godchild Helena who is in fact making a dodgy living flogging antiquities on the black market – and she has a cheeky sidekick in tow: Teddy (Ethann Isidore). There are plenty of jolly chases, including a tuk-tuk vs classic Jag event in the narrow streets of Tangier and for the Indy purists, some creepy encounters with insects and an underground tomb whose passageways open up with a grinding noise.

It is probably a bit cheeky to be giving Ford a young female co-star under this “goddaughter” tag, with a bantering tension that is really not too different to one he might have enjoyed with a co-star in the original movies. Yet the finale is wildly silly and entertaining, and that Dial of Destiny is put to an audacious use which makes light of the whole question of defying ageing and the gravitational pull of time. Indiana Jones still has a certain old-school class.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Review

We didn’t realize how good we had it with kingdom of the crystal skull..

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is very much about trying to recapture the series’ lost spark, both in its filmmaking and within the world of the story, but these impulses are set at odds. It’s the tale of a former adventurer who needs to stop living in the past, but the only way it works is by firmly rooting itself in nostalgia. Indiana Jones, the character, needs to move on, but Indiana Jones the franchise won’t let him.

The Dial of Destiny begins with a de-aged Harrison Ford trying to retrieve an artifact from Nazi plunderers in 1945, alongside his previously unseen colleague, the floundering Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), only to find that an entirely different artifact – the titular dial, said to be a creation of Greek physicist Archimedes – is now in play. Shaw’s role, while small, is a fun one, but he’s given the unenviable task of quipping opposite a positively dead-eyed Ford. His digital face-lift may look fine in photos, but when it comes to motion and delivering lines of dialogue there’s no life behind young Indy’s face.

This robotic retread of a familiar icon – one that’s become unfortunately emblematic of Disney, between the Lion King remake and Luke Skywalker’s appearance in The Book of Boba Fett – sets the tone for much of The Dial of Destiny. Its opening action scene reads like a typical Indy adventure on paper, with smooth maneuvers aboard moving vehicles to evade goose-stepping, treasure-hunting baddies. However, the action presented by director and co-writer James Mangold is immediately missing the visual clarity and rhythm that Steven Spielberg and series editor Michael Kahn brought to each of the first four movies. Granted, as with Star Wars, perhaps the case can be made that this fictional universe transcends a single group of storytellers, but Dial of Destiny isn’t so much familiar iconography told through new cinematic language as it is a poor imitation of what came before it.

Everything feels ever-so-slightly wrong in its 25-minute opening sequence, with cuts and shot selections ordered “correctly” enough to convey a sequence of events, but never fine-tuned enough to make its images land with any impact. Add to this the sheer murkiness of what’s on screen (much of the CG-heavy action is obscured by nightfall, or natural elements like fog) and what you’re left with is a spectacle you can barely see, and an adventure movie that feels distinctly un-adventurous in its creation.

A "legacy sequel" is a movie that picks up a story many years later. What's your favorite?

On the plus side, the story at least begins in an interesting place once the prologue finally comes to a close. The year is 1969 and the Apollo 11 astronauts have just returned from the Moon, but while the whole world looks towards the stars, and to the future, a drunk and miserable Indy remains stuck in the past – which is to say, he still teaches archeology. There are also major regrets keeping him from living in the present or looking beyond it, but these warrant only a passing mention over an hour into the story (even though they answer pressing questions that might be on the minds of long-time fans).

These are all half-hearted attempts at contrasting Indy with the central antagonist, Dr. Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a former Nazi and current U.S. government scientist under Operation Paperclip . Mikkelsen delivers a straightforward performance in line with the by-the-numbers material he’s given, but despite there being little to remember about his embodiment of Voller, the character stands out as an Indy nemesis whose own obsession with past failures has led him back to his old foe.

But where Voller's fixation with the past leads to unsavory outcomes, Indy’s similar perspective on his personal failures is one the film largely accepts, and never really brings into conflict with Voller's. They’re two sides to a coin in theory, but Dial of Destiny never tempts this sad, broken version of Indiana Jones with the power to instantly fix his problems – a power the mysterious Dial may very well possess – so it foregoes the catharsis it seems to crave from having Indy eventually look beyond what’s been shackling him to events gone by.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Gallery

Ford gives it his all, carrying Indy with a mournful sense of reflection, but the rest of the film never rises to his level. It comes ever so close to making the Dial of Destiny mean something in the grand scheme of things, especially as the climax approaches. But a last-second swerve renders the symbolic idea of the Dial – a clock-like artifact representing time itself – little more than wasted potential.

With the help of Basil’s now-adult daughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), Indy once again ends up on a global treasure hunt in competition with his Nazi enemies. But Dial of Destiny lumbers from scene to scene, with action that never quite manages to be exciting. There was a glimmer of mischief to the fights and stunts in Spielberg’s Indiana Jones movies, which quickly established their stakes and physical geography before hitting swashbuckling highs. The action in Dial of Destiny is dull by comparison, whizzing by too quickly to land, and with physics too cartoony to leave a lasting impact. At one point Indy runs atop a row of train cars, and the exaggerated movements of his digital stunt double are indistinguishable from those of Woody from Toy Story (fitting, perhaps, since he’s more children’s action figure than flesh & blood human being in this movie).

Just as unclear as the action is the character of Helena, who is framed as a pseudo Indiana Jones successor – a Bond-esque adventurer with a roguish streak, and even her own kid sidekick – though it never quite figures out what to do with her. On one hand, her money-above-all-else motive clashes with Indy’s more altruistic “It belongs in a museum!” approach to ancient artifacts. On the other hand, her father’s past obsession with the Dial is just as much of a driving factor in her involvement with the plot. These warring motives don’t so much clash or cause personal drama as they simply exist in separate scenes, as if entirely different drafts of the story had been smashed together. She’s never torn between selling an artifact and using it to fulfill her father’s lifelong work; she simply feels one way in one scene, and feels another way in the next.

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This fracturing of Helena’s character is more passing annoyance than central flaw – more plot convenience than plot hole – but it represents the way Dial of Destiny is made from the ground up. Its drama is cobbled together from ideas that are meaningful in isolation – Indy, Helena, and Voller all have complicated outlooks on the past – but they rarely come into contact (let alone in ways that drive the story). Similarly, its action is the result of borderline-functional filmmaking that presents events in sequence, each in their own individual shots, but it seldom presents a causal relationship between them (let alone one where two consecutive images, or the cut connecting them, result in added emphasis or impact). Haphazardly strung-together close ups drive the action, but a wider picture almost never emerges (if it does, it’s barely comprehensible).

A returning John Williams remains a saving grace, providing grand musical motifs and familiar tunes at just the right moments. However, the camera rarely creates meaning on its own, except when there’s a familiar brown fedora somewhere on screen, at which point it charges towards it like a happy pup reuniting with its owner – a shot that repeats on at least four separate occasions. But there are only so many times it can say “Look! It’s that iconic hat you recognize!” before the well runs dry. Nostalgia is the one trick Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has, and it isn’t a trick it performs particularly well in the first place.

By yanking Indiana Jones out of retirement yet again, for a fifth (and hopefully final) movie, Disney proves that some things should be allowed to end. Or, at the very least, it proves that a franchise resurrection should spend at least some of its 154 minutes doing something other than trying desperately to justify its own existence. Earnest final efforts from Harrison Ford and John Williams couldn’t rescue a movie so directionless and haphazard, or action that fails to recapture the swashbuckling joys of the originals. By asking why Indy is on this adventure in the first place, and what the character gains on the other side of it, Dial of Destiny concocts paradoxical answers that fail to meet in the middle. It’s a film about letting go of the past and moving forward, but one that refuses to do the same.

More Reviews by Siddhant Adlakha

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Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Review

28 Jun 2023

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

It’s not the years, as someone once put it — it’s the mileage. Indiana Jones was feeling that mileage from his very first adventure, 1981’s  Raiders Of The Lost Ark , and in  The Dial Of Destiny  — purportedly his last outing — he’s feeling the years, too. That seems to be the driving force behind this fifth instalment of this most beloved of adventure series: what happens when even the most indestructible hero runs out of road?

Of all the iconic characters Harrison Ford has dusted off in recent years, Indiana Jones, tenured professor of archaeology who never worried too much about getting his hands dirty, seems to be the one he has the most fun playing. There’s real, rugged, grinning affection in Ford’s now five performances, and a real joy in seeing him back in the fedora and leather jacket. Ford may also have been conscious, too, that the previous attempt at a swansong, 2008’s  Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull , didn’t quite hit the mark; enough good stuff in it to feel almost underrated, but enough silly stuff (the gophers, the aliens, the fridge) to feel the need for one last crack of the course-correcting whip.

For this first Spielberg -less outing, all the hallmarks of the series are there as you’d hope them to be, lovingly preserved like archaeological treasures: there is an ingenious and elaborate booby-trapped cave system, there is a throwback map sequence, and there are plenty of Nazis, ready for the punching. But there is also some sadness and regret, a man out of time, finally running out of time, and surveying the ruins of his life; a tone that sometimes feels unusually sombre for this kind of blockbuster.

Dial Of Destiny  has the kind of final showdown that almost makes the finale of  Crystal Skull  feel subtle.

That may be the hand of director James Mangold , a filmmaker who has some understanding of making a bittersweet genre pic about a beloved pop-culture icon in the twilight of his years (see also: Logan ). He moves confidently through action set-piece after action set-piece,  keeping up a frantic pace — but he is clearly at pains to keep track of the man under the hat.

First, though, we flash back to a younger, more self-assured Indy. The film begins, as all good Indiana Jones movies should, in barnstorming fashion: in 1944, at the close of World War II, with an (only mildly uncanny) de-aged Harrison Ford battling the Nazis. He’s aided by fellow academic Basil Shaw ( Toby Jones , filling in the bumbling Brit role previously occupied by Denholm Elliott) as they attempt to retrieve the Lance of Longinus, the blade that pierced Jesus. But another, more intriguing artefact catches their eye: the Antikythera, which the Nazis are particularly interested in for its godlike powers. (Sound familiar?)

That opening salvo is terrific, and moves at a frantic lick, which makes the timeline jump to 1969 all the more impactful. Dr Jones now lives in a dirt-cheap New York apartment, on the verge of retirement and self-medicating with booze. He is still a lecturing professor, but only just; in a neat contrast to the enamoured doe-eyed students of  Raiders  and  Last Crusade , his students are bored and uninterested.

Into this unhappy tableau comes his goddaughter (and Basil’s daughter), Phoebe Waller-Bridge ’s Helena, who sets him off on One Last Quest to find the other half of the Antikythera, and maybe find the spark of adventure he once had. (“This is not an adventure!” Jones actually insists at one point). Waller-Bridge is superb, for her part. If Ford is the cranky, ill-tempered hero, she is the witty, sharp-tongued cynic; like Karen Allen ’s Marion in the first film, a Howard Hawksian woman.

Naturally, the Nazis are also on the case. As Jürgen Voller, Mads Mikkelsen is enjoyably hissable — he is, of course, Hollywood’s favourite accent-for-hire, but this is a thoroughly nasty Nazi, one whose racism and arrogance isn’t downplayed, still bitter about past conflicts. “You didn’t win the war,” he snarls at an American at one point. “Hitler  lost .”

It doesn’t escape the sometimes-wobbly politics that the series has sometimes been accused of; the return of John Rhys-Davies , a white Welshman, as the Egyptian character Sallah, feels a needlessly thoughtless choice in 2023. And the globe-trotting can occasionally feel a bit MacGuffin-by-numbers: we must find the thing, which leads us to the map, which will help find the other thing.

But then it reaches its final act, and suddenly all bets are off. The script hints at something wild from the off, but you’re never quite sure it’s going to go  that  wild. Believe us when we say: it goes that wild. It is a true swing for the fences.  Dial Of Destiny  has the kind of final showdown that almost makes the finale of  Crystal Skull  feel subtle.

Does it work, though — in a way that  Crystal Skull ’s climax didn’t? Sort of! It depends if you are willing to go with it. This is a series that has always gestured towards fantasy. It was conceived by Spielberg and Lucas as a homage to their beloved 1940s serials, cinema as pulp, and this bold-as-brass ending fits comfortably into that tradition. Importantly, it feels true to Indy as a character. In the end, it seems to suggest, it wasn’t about fortune and glory at all, but finding your own little corner of history. And Indy, one way or another, has found it.

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Reviews

But "better than Crystal Skull" is a miserably low bar to clear. Dial's plot is surprisingly dumb, considering it took four screenwriters (including David Koepp and director James Mangold) to write it.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jan 25, 2024

I think you can find fun here. I think you can find good here. It's just not going to turn you around if you come in thinking it's a bad idea.

Full Review | Jan 12, 2024

Dial of Destiny is a fun ride, especially for moviegoers like me who just want to enjoy some nostalgia as we contemplate a retirement full of watching all those films we’ve collected over the years.

Full Review | Dec 30, 2023

There's a lot that's fun here... but the more you look at the CG, the more it looks like The Polar Express.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 27, 2023

There wasn't a world wherein this film would capture the greatness of the original trilogy but it's nice to see Indy and his compatriots sent off in fine, if unspectacular, fashion.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Dec 27, 2023

At the end of the day, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may not be the best installment of Indiana Jones, but it certainly fits perfectly within the saga, committing to its characters and its essence. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Dec 26, 2023

A beautiful send-off for this character.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 20, 2023

He steps back into that fedora not like he’s never left it, which is the point. He meets his character where he actually is – old, alone, grieving.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 20, 2023

And while the story is bombastic, is still better than aliens. With that in mind, I'll give the film a B-, its not perfect, but if you settle in, you can enjoy one last adventure.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Nov 13, 2023

Despite the weirdly ambivalent headlines and mixed reviews dogging this film since its bow at Cannes, this is one of the most consistently enjoyable legacy sequels of recent years.

Full Review | Nov 10, 2023

It’s fun; it’s wacky; it works.

Full Review | Oct 25, 2023

The final Indiana Jones entry is actually near the top of what is a usually dismal filmic phenomenon: closing chapters of long-running action vehicles. But what's missing is any sense of urgency in the story, or any sense of charisma from Ford himself.

Full Review | Oct 16, 2023

has enough throwback charm, humor, and attention to character that it comes close to earning its spot in a franchise that frankly should have ended with Indy riding off into the sunset in Last Crusade

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 8, 2023

Without Spielberg, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is just a professional and innocuously pop-corn movie: a compilation of "greatest hits" by an emblematic character of a type of cinema that is fading away. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 3, 2023

It may have squiffy CG, a perhaps too extended opening, and repetitious set pieces of evasion and capture, but Mangold sticks the emotional and thematic landing ...

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 29, 2023

The acting throughout “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny” is solid and the special effects are, as expected, state of the art. Composer John Williams is present for the musical thrills.

Full Review | Sep 25, 2023

This a movie for the nostalgia-minded. Between the score and extensive de-aging of Harrison Ford from 79 years to 37, it’s as if we weren’t 42 years from Raiders of the Lost Ark and we can almost feel like we’re watching installments filmed back to back.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 23, 2023

Dial of Destiny manages to be the complete opposite — the rare legacy sequel content with simply saying goodbye. Telling a poignant story about our relationship with nostalgia and how attempts to cling to the past prevent us from living in the present.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Sep 14, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is cluttered and visually problematic, but never hopeless.

Full Review | Sep 5, 2023

The terrible final act torpedoes any chance of this film being deemed worthy of the franchise.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.25/5 | Sep 2, 2023

Financial Statements Confirm ‘Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny’ Was Another Multimillion Dollar Disney Flop

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To the surprise of absolutely no one who has seen the abysmal sequel, a new financial filing by Disney has revealed that rather than being anywhere in the neighborhood of what anyone would call ‘a success’, last year’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was but the latest entry in their long list of big-budget box office disasters.

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As initially detailed by Forbes , this confirmation of The Dial of Destiny ‘s failure to land with audience was revealed courtesy of filings made with the UK government by the local Disney subsidiary set-up to helm the film’s production and help it qualify for the island nation’s movie tax credits , PLT Productions.

(And bear with us, readers, because to get to the results, it’s going to take a brief detour into the world of accounting.)

Per box office tracking outlet Box Office Mojo, as cited by the aforementioned news outlet in their analysis, the fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise managed to gleam only $383,963,057 world wide.

Factoring in the approximately standard 50-50 split both theaters and studios share regarding ticket sales, this left Disney with a rough take of $192 million when the film’s theatrical run was all said and done.

RELATED: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Review: A Cantankerous Sequel That Drowns in Hindsight

Per financial statements filed with the UK government in 2022 , the House of Mouse spent roughly $308.2 million (£244.1 million) to produce the film.

Thanks to qualifying for the UK’s aforementioned tax credits, at the time of the 2022 filing – roughly two years after filming on The Dial of Destiny had begun – Disney had already been reimbursed approximately $58.3 million (£46.2 million) by the British government.

However, according to the latest set of financial statements made with the government for 2023 , Disney spent an additional $28,000 on post-production work to de-age Harrison Ford for the film’s opening montage.

Combined with a further $2.7 million (£2.1 million) tax credit, this brought The Dial of Destiny ‘s total costs to $326.2 million (£258.3 million).

When one factors in Disney’s $192 million box office share, the numbers ultimately reveal that the universally-panned sequel lost the studio at least $134.2 million (£106.1 million).

And it is important to note that qualifier of ‘at least’, as these numbers do not take into account the film’s marketing costs.

In light of the standard ‘true film budget’ formula of ‘at least double a film’s reported production budget’, one can presume that The Dial of Destiny cost somewhere in the ballpark of $652.4 million.

Should even this conservative estimate hold true, that would mean Disney lost closer to $460.4 million (£364.6 million) on their attempt to capitalize on the once-beloved adventure franchise.

As noted above, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny is but the latest of Disney’s recent films to be confirmed as a box office flop.

From Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania , to Elemental , to Haunted Mansion , to The Marvels , to Wish , recent years have seen Disney put out so many bombs that their once-stellar reputation as the ‘standard of entertainment’ has now been replaced with one as ‘the shining example of activism-over-entertainment and corporate greed’.

NEXT: Marvel Reportedly Cans ‘Ant-Man 4’, ‘Captain Marvel 3’, And ‘Eternals 2’, Disney CEO Bob Iger Said To Have Personally Shut Down ‘Eternals’ Sequel For Fear It Would Have Been A Guaranteed Bomb

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Disney lost $134M on 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,' including $80M in postproduction to de-age Harrison Ford

Financial documents out of the United Kingdom have revealed that "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" lost Disney over $130 million due to an explosive budget that included nearly $80 million in postproduction efforts.

Disney's latest "Indiana Jones" franchise installment saw much of its production take place in the United Kingdom in order to capitalize on an incentive for film companies that shoot in the region.

The 25.5% cash reimbursement incentive means that many studios create companies in the U.K. for this purpose, but it also has meant increased transparency. These companies must file financial statements that indicate staffing, salaries, costs, and reimbursement they receive, according to Forbes .

Such documents revealed that Disney lost approximately $134.2 million after adjusting for budget, theater takings, and postproduction costs.

The aftereffects, which predominantly required a drastic de-aging of star Harrison Ford for a dramatic train chase scene, cost Disney approximately $79 million. This reportedly brought the budget to a monstrous total of $387.2 million.

Though the movie grossed about $384 million worldwide, the studio receives approximately half of theater earnings, which landed Disney at approximately $192 million.

What is seemingly a massive total is actually half of the movie's prequel, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." The 2023 adventure seemingly took in a similar dollar figure to the first three Indiana Jones movies from the 1980s but clearly loses when adjusted for inflation.

The film was plagued from the start with rumors, reshoots, and secret scenes shrouded in mystery, as fans raged online about the possibility that Harrison Ford's lead character would be replaced in the film.

In June 2021, a movie insider revealed that there could be two endings considered for the movie. "In one of the rumored endings, young Indiana Jones dies alongside old Indiana Jones, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge swoops in like a vulture, picks the hat up, and takes his place moving forward,” the insider claimed.

Once these rumors leaked, fans were not pleased at the idea of the iconic character getting the Disney treatment from studio head Kathleen Kennedy.

Reports that the studio got the message from fans were seemingly confirmed in 2023. The same insider claimed at the time that an on-set leaker told him that filmmakers seemed to have cut any of the scenes that would have the female character taking over the lead role.

In the end, Ford hung onto his role and his trademark hat.

Disney had an abysmal 2023 and went into 2024 with ongoing wars over board seats , production, and the overall direction of the movie studio. Despite Disney's parks and recreation sector having a strong post-COVID bounce-back, losses generated by streaming platform Disney+ have seen share prices fall by around 40% compared to a peak price of over $200 in March 2021.

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How Much of ‘Ford v Ferrari’ Is True?

While fairly accurate, ‘Ford v Ferrari’ adds some dramatic embellishments.

The Big Picture

• Despite its dramatic embellishments, Ford v Ferrari accurately portrays the intense rivalry between Ford and Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
• Matt Damon's portrayal of Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale's depiction of Ken Miles bring authenticity to the true story, showcasing their friendship and passion for racing.
• The film captures the high stakes and sacrifices made by the Ford team in their quest to defeat Ferrari and prove themselves on an international stage.

Director James Mangold has made a name for himself making “old-fashioned” genre movies that feel like they belong to a different era. While he’s dabbled in franchise fair with blockbusters like Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny , Mangold has managed to prove that classic westerns ( 3:10 to Yuma ), whodunit mystery thrillers ( Identity ), issue focused melodramas ( Girl, Interrupted ), and musical biopics ( Walk the Line ) still have a foothold with audiences. Mangold added the sports rivalry racing drama Ford v Ferrari to his filmography in 2019, which became both a commercial hit and a critical darling, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Although it certainly draws inspiration from classic sports dramas like Le Mans and Grand Prix, Ford v Ferrari is a fairly accurate depiction of an amazing underdog racing story.

Ford v Ferrari

American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles battle corporate interference and the laws of physics to build a revolutionary race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.

What Is ‘Ford v Ferrari’ About?

Ford v. Ferrari centers on the peculiar friendship between the automobile designer Carol Shelby ( Matt Damon ) and the eccentric motorsport driver Ken Miles ( Christian Bale ) as they attempt to pull off a major victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans competition. Although the Ford Motor Company is considered to be an underdog in the competition , Shelby is hired by his employer, Henry Ford II ( Tracy Letts ) to create a new racing vehicle that could potentially disrupt the Ferrari company’s dominance within the event. Knowing that Miles is an expert engineer with an unparalleled ability to determine a vehicle’s merits, Shelby hires his old friend to help test the new Ford GT40 Mk I. Ford v Ferrari details the immense preparation Miles and Shelby took to retrofit their new vehicle ahead of the major race. It’s one of the rare sports movies where the build up is just as exciting as the championship at the end.

Nicknamed “Howard the Deuce,” Ford II entered the competition due to a feud with Enzo Ferrari , who had rejected his acquisition offer and barred the two companies from forming a partnership. Egocentric and skeptical of his rivals, Ferrari believed that the Ford Motor Company wasn’t capable of designing an advanced vehicle that rivaled his own. Ford v Ferrari accurately depicts the Ford Motor Company’s motivations for entering the Le Mans Competition. Ford II saw the race as an opportunity to prove Ferrari wrong , and spared no expense in pouring the company’s resources into the most advanced vehicle on the market. The global coverage of the Le Mans Competition also allowed Ford to showcase its new line of vehicles to a widespread audience.

‘Ford v Ferrari’ Depicts One of the Most Intense Racing Competitions Ever

Bale received significant acclaim for his performance , and the depiction of Miles in Ford v Ferrari is reflective of his real personality. After a brief stint driving lumber trucks for the British military during the tail end of World War II, Miles moved to Hollywood in order to take part in the emerging Southern California racing culture. It was during this period that he set many records for auto racing, and gained a reputation for taking inordinate risks to have his name remembered in history books. At the time that Shelby approached him about joining the Ford team ahead of the Le Mans Competition at the beginning of Ford v Ferrari , Miles was operating his own tuning shop alongside his wife Mollie ( Caitríona Balfe ) and son Peter ( Noah Jupe ). A series of financial setbacks resulting from unpaid taxes ends up inspiring Miles to join Shelby’s crew, even though he was never regarded as a “team player.”

As breathtaking as the film’s final act is, Ford v Ferrari is one of the rare films in which the true story almost feels like fiction . During the final stretch of the Le Mans race, Ford II realizes it would be a better publicity opportunity to have all of his vehicles cross the finish line at the same time, even though Miles’ vehicle was well ahead of his opponents. Miles eventually complied with the orders and slowed down his vehicle, resulting in an instantly iconic image that revitalized the Ford brand internationally. Unfortunately, this stunt also cost Miles the race that he should have won single-handedly on a technicality. In fact, Miles was declared the second place winner because the Ford car driven by racers Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon started the race behind his vehicle, and thus had a longer trek.

‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Is More Historically Accurate Than You Think

‘ford v. ferrari’ added some dramatic embellishments.

The circumstances around the final arm of the race have been a matter of dispute, as Ford executives only learned too late that a single winner could be determined. Their plan of a three-way tie was impossible, but they were unable to communicate to Miles that he should speed up and ignore their previous plan. Although the film ends on the triumphant note of Ford's victory, Ford v Ferrari shows the tragic ending of Miles’ racing career. The pressure to conform to the photo opportunity, spearheaded by the Ford executive Leo Beebe ( Josh Lucas ), inspired Miles to begin preparations for the next year of the competition. Unfortunately, Miles was killed two months later due to a mechanical failure in his J-car during a testing period at Riverside International Raceway.

Although the film draws from the nonfiction novel Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans by A. J. Baime , some events in Ford v Ferrari are dramatized for the sake of making an exciting sports movie . The real Ford II never took a joyride in an untested vehicle with Shelby, and would not have taken such an active role in giving inspirational speeches to the mechanical team due to his business obligations. Similarly, the brawl between Shelby and Miles prior to the day of Le Mans is a purely fictional insertion, although the two did butt heads throughout their time together.

Ford v Ferrari is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.

Watch on Amazon

More From Forbes

Indiana jones whips up $130 million loss for disney.

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Harrison Ford returned as Indiana Jones in Dial of Destiny, but the production whipped up a $130m ... [+] loss

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny failed to cover its costs at the box office according to financial statements released on Friday which show that Disney spent $134.2m more on making the movie than it is understood to have received in ticket sales.

Dial of Destiny stars Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas and Harrison Ford as the eponymous adventurer who comes out of retirement to track down an ancient time travelling artefact before it falls into the hands of the Nazis.

The film, which was released in June last year, is famous for its dramatic train chase featuring a digitally de-aged Ford. It came at a cost as the filings reveal that $79 million (£62.6 million) was spent on post-production work in the year to the start of April 2023 bringing the movie's total budget to an eye-watering $387.2 million (£306.7 million). It didn't translate into fortune and glory for the film.

Despite its blockbuster budget, Dial of Destiny was castigated by critics. It has a 70% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes though movie goers weren't so scathing. They gave it an audience rating of 88% but not enough of them streamed through the turnstiles to cover its production costs.

Data from industry analyst Box Office Mojo shows that Dial of Destiny grossed $384 million, just 49% of the takings of its prequel, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . The 2008 movie was the fourth film in the Indiana Jones franchise and also attracted fierce criticism which makes Dial of Destiny's performance all the more dismal.

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Even an intro featuring a de-aged Harrison Ford was not enough to attract moviegoers

Although its box office is in a similar ballpark to the receipts of the first three Indiana Jones movies, they were all released in the 1980s and far eclipse Dial of Destiny's tally when adjusted for inflation.

Studios receive around half of theater takings giving Disney an estimated $192 million from Dial of Destiny . Calculating whether this covered its production cost requires knowing how much Disney spent on the movie which would usually be a closely-guarded secret. This is because studios' financial statements typically combine the costs of all of their movies without itemizing how much was spent on each one.

Movies filmed in the United Kingdom are an exception. Studios put up with higher levels of disclosure when they film there in order to benefit from the UK government's Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) scheme. This gives studios a cash reimbursement of up to 25.5% of the money they spend in the UK provided that it represents at least 10% of the film's total costs.

At the start of this year the UK government slightly raised the reimbursement ceiling from 25% in the face of competition from other countries which are offering similar schemes. It has helped to make the UK a dream ticket for movie makers and according to the British Film Institute, foreign studios contributed around 77% of the $1.8 billion (£1.4 billion) spent on making films in the country last year.

In order to prove to the government that they meet the criteria, studios set up separate UK corporations to make each film. They usually have code names so that they don’t raise attention with fans when filing for permits to film off-site. The corporations are a gold mine of information as they have to file financial statements showing everything from staff numbers, salaries and costs, to the cash reimbursement they received.

Although Dial of Destiny is largely set in the United States, it was made at Pinewood Studios outside London and on location in Europe and North Africa. The train chase was shot on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in northern England whilst London's Hatton Garden jewelry district doubled as New York City and Glasgow in Scotland was the location of a 1969 ticker tape parade celebrating the return of the Apollo 11 astronauts.

Glasgow hosted a rather American celebration during the filming of Dial of Destiny

The Disney subsidiary behind the Dial of Destiny is PLT Productions (UK), which is named after the Phoenix Little Theater. In 1964 it hosted the premiere of Firelight, the first film made by Steven Spielberg who directed the first four Indiana Jones movies. The financial statements shine a spotlight on the reimbursement from the UK government as well as the precise cost of the movie.

In February last year, we revealed that PLT's financial statements for the period up to April 1 2022 showed that it had been reimbursed $58.3 million (£46.2 million). It was the magic touch that the company needed as it had already spent a staggering $308.2 million (£244.1 million) on the movie.

Filming wrapped in late February 2022 so the financial statements only showed around a month of spending on post-production which was highly cost-intensive due to the digital de-aging of a then-78 year old Ford by Disney's Industrial Light & Magic VFX division.

The financial statements released yesterday reflect the bulk of these costs as they are for the year to April 1 2023 which was three months before the movie was released. During that period, PLT was reimbursed a further $2.7 million (£2.1 million) which brought its net spending down to $326.2 million when combined with the $58.3 million it had already received. Deducting this from Disney's $192 million share of the box office gives the loss of $134.2 million but that isn't the end of the story.

The financial statements do not show the marketing costs for the movie and, on the other hand, the box office share isn't the studio's only return as it also receives revenue from merchandise and DVD or Blu Ray sales.

Disney shot itself through the foot somewhat in this respect by launching the Disney+ streaming platform in 2019. Not only has it replaced the need to buy a DVD or Blu Ray, but Disney+ subscribers don't pay per movie. Instead they are billed monthly or annually and get access to a studio's entire library, along with any new content released during their subscription period. This means it isn't possible to attribute subscriber fees to specific productions, such as Dial of Destiny , and in turn that increases the need for pictures to succeed at the box office.

Nevertheless, offsetting the box office share from the expenses shown in the financial statements does not show whether the movie made a profit or a loss overall. It simply shows whether a movie's theatrical run covered its production costs or made a profit or a loss.

Dial of Destiny 's colossal costs set a high barrier for it to finish in the black but ironically it could have made greater gains by spending more. Fans widely accept that the train chase is the highlight of the film so if Ford had been de-aged throughout the movie it may have attracted more viewers.

Disney had high hopes for the movie and not just because of how much was spent on it. Indiana Jones is one of three major franchises owned by Lucasfilm, the production company which was founded by visionary director George Lucas and was bought by Disney for $4 billion in 2012. The other two are sci-fi saga Star Wars and sword and sorcery series Willow .

As we have reported , the theatrical profits of the former far from cover the acquisition costs of Lucasfilm whilst the streaming series based on the latter was a costly mistake. Last year we revealed that Disney spent more than $100 million on the streaming series only for it to be pulled from its platform after just six months.

The dismal performance of Dial of Destiny piles pressure on Disney's embattled chief executive Bob Iger who spearheaded the acquisition of Lucasfilm and the development of the movies which have yet to cover the cost of it. Combined with losses generated by Disney+ this has led to Disney's share price falling by around 40% since its peak of $201.91 in March 2021.

Last year it rankled activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund Management which only backed off after Iger implemented a $7.5bn cost-cutting plan. It failed to bring the magic back causing Trian to call for board representation which will be decided at Disney's annual meeting on Wednesday.

Trian has put forward Peltz as well as Jay Rasulo, Disney's talented former chief financial officer who also ran Disneyland Paris through one of its greatest periods of growth.

The influential California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) told Reuters on Friday that it had voted in favour of them explaining that "Walt Disney DIS DIS Co will benefit from fresh eyes on its board of directors." It added that its "established voting guidelines focus on the need for independent corporate boards, a say in setting executive pay, and increased transparency. Two new directors who are qualified and capable of leading needed change in corporate governance will serve the Disney board well."

The US pension fund owned 6.65 million Disney shares at the end of December ranking it among the media giant's top 30 investors, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group.

Trian and the Blackwells Capital hedge fund, which is trying to win three Disney board seats claim that the Disney board has bungled succession planning for Iger, needs to better harness technology and should consider separating its real estate holdings. Business network CNBC has speculated that if Trian is successful it could even lead to Iger's resignation due to a bitter dispute between him and Peltz's partner Ike Perlmutter.

An 81-year-old Israeli-American billionaire, Perlmutter sold toys and beauty products in Manhattan from an early age before setting up Odd Lot Trading Co, a retailer and wholesaler of discontinued items. His first step on the corporate ladder came when the company was sold in exchange for a stake in Revco, a chain of drug stores.

By the early 1990s, Perlmutter and fellow Israeli businessman Avi Arad had bought Toy Biz, a toy company that depended heavily on licenses to Marvel Comics characters. At the time, Marvel itself was still largely reliant on the sale of comics which were declining in popularity with the rise of games consoles.

When Marvel went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 1996, Perlmutter and Arad seized the moment and took over the company through a merger with Toy Biz. It wasn't a speculative gamble as the duo had realized that Marvel's most valuable asset was its Intellectual Property.

They embarked on the smart strategy of selling the movie rights to Marvel characters which led to Sony getting Spider-Man, the Hulk going to Universal and the X-Men ending up in the hands of 20th Century Fox. Separate deals were even signed for the rights to use Marvel characters in theme parks. Until earlier this year Universal Studios had the exclusive rights to use Marvel characters in theme parks in Japan and it still has them to the east of the Mississippi in the US.

With the profits from the movie licenses, Marvel founded its own studio using the characters that it had retained – chief of which were none other than Iron Man, Captain America and their fellow Avengers. The Marvel Studios movies were smash hits putting the company on Disney's radar. In 2009 Iger signed a deal to buy the business for $4 billion giving Perlmutter around 1% of Disney's stock.

Thanks to his entrepreneurial style, Perlmutter soon clashed with Iger, a dyed-in-the-wool company man. Perlmutter became chairman of Marvel Entertainment but was sensationally sacked last year as part of the wave of cost cuts. It made him a natural partner for Peltz and set the stage for the board battle which will be decided on Wednesday. Given how tenacious Trian has proven to be, even if its bid fails, it seems unlikely it will let it go.

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Tuesday Sep 26, 2023

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Full Review

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(A, A-) During the final days of World War II, Indiana Jones discovers an Ancient Greek artifact that will have a major effect on his life decades later.

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Reviewed By: Marc Rubalcaba

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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) Produced By: Walt Disney Pictures Lucasfilm Paramount Pictures

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