“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”: An Acceptable Ending, But Nothing Special

Indiana Jones is one of the most iconic franchises in history. Although it never had the same impact as others, such as Star Wars, Marvel or Harry Potter, it has left its mark on popular culture. Starring Harrison Ford, directed by Steven Spielberg and musicalized by John Williams, Indiana Jones has remained in the soul of adventure fans.

However, time has passed… and this is something that unfortunately can be seen in this new installment. The first film, released in 1981, had been a real success. Then they made a second (1984) and a third (1989) installment, both to rave reviews. The problem came with the fourth, released in 2008.

Known as "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," it was the highest-grossing film in the franchise. Paradoxically, it had a very negative reception, both from the audience and from specialized critics, due to incomprehensible decisions, such as including aliens. It even won the razzie award for the "worst remake" of that same year.

So why is it important to mention it? Simple: because no one needed (or expected) a fifth movie. 15 years after the premiere of that tape, it was clear that the audience's interest in following these adventures was very low. Well, although it is a better adaptation than its predecessor, the fifth installment does not recover the spirit of the saga either.

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The problems (and some successes) of the end of Indiana Jones

We are introduced to an Indiana Jones in his later years. He is no longer an agile person, who can escape from a giant stone. As a result of this situation, he does not seem to have the desire to start an affair either. For this reason, it can be classified as a tape that seeks to show the path of old age of an idol from another era.

And what is the movie about? Well, about an ancient relic that Archimedes knew how to create, which is known as the "Antikythera Mechanism". This is a device that followers of Nazism are looking for, as they believe that it can be useful to travel in time and modify the course of history.

Directed by James Mangold, Spielberg's "successor", it achieves acceptable visual storytelling. Although it does not have any mythical plane, it maintains the interest of the audience throughout the more than 2 hours of the film. It can even be said that he has done a good job in the different action scenes and moments of tension that the film has.

Another of the enormous successes has been the villain of this installment. Jurgen Voller, played by Mads Mikkelsen, has achieved an incredible performance, positioning himself as one of the best enemies in the entire franchise. The same is observed with Harrison Ford, who maintains the soul of his character, despite being at a more advanced age.

Although this is not something that happens throughout the film! In some moments, we will be able to see a "digital rejuvenation" to Harrison Ford, done with magnificent CGI. That's when the film achieves its best version, as it takes us back, at least for a while, to the golden age of the franchise.

However, these virtues were not enough to meet Disney's goal: to make Indiana Jones a successful franchise again. This film seems to have been built more with the aim of passing "the torch" to a new generation than giving Harrison Ford's character a dignified closure… and they have achieved neither.

Proof of this can be seen with the collection during its first launch weekend, which has been lower than expected for a blockbuster of this magnitude. Despite this, Indiana Jones fans will be able to enjoy certain aspects of this latest installment. For the rest of the public, it will be a tape that will pass without pain or glory.

And you, will you see the closure of the adventures of the emblematic archaeologist?