By Marc S. Sanders
When a film director, the writers, and producers are trying to make a fifth installment of a franchise that spans over forty years, centered around one of the most iconic characters in history, it is important to consider every factor involved in the process. My colleague, Miguel, commented that Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny had four writers attached to the project. Normally, I call that a shortcoming. When you’re stumped for imagination, turn to yet another writer. In this case, however, I believe it served to ensure they were providing a fitting send off to the famed archeologist in search of rare antiquities. Dr. Jones’ final silver screen adventure hits all the right notes thanks to storytellers focused on imagination and sensitivity for the celebrated character.
James Mangold, a director who I don’t think gets enough credit for his accomplishments (Walk The Line, Logan, Ford Vs Ferrari, 3:10 To Yuma) takes over for a busy Steven Spielberg who occupies the producer’s chair this time. The Dial Of Destiny has a modern Mangold gloss to the cinematography, compared to the distressed, washed out films of Indy’s earlier adventures. However, it remains a very well-constructed film that should be recognized especially for some outstanding editing. At the center of the film is a swashbuckling chase through Tangiers on three-wheel scooters and cars. It is as breathless as any of Mangold’s prior work or Spielberg’s pieces. In fact, all the fined tuned action sequences function so beautifully. Give the editors an Oscar nomination now! The DC superhero films need to take a lesson from this esteemed house of Spielberg.
The film has a wonderful prologue worthy of being in the same fraternity with the other films in the series as Indy (a de-aged Harrison Ford) and his colleague (Toby Jones) come face to face with Nazis as Hitler’s reign is quickly collapsing. The set up of the titled MacGuffin is introduced aboard a high-speed locomotive through German territory. Flash forward to 1969 in New York City, and it is the eve of Dr. Jones’ retirement being overshadowed by America’s parade celebration of the moon landing. Circumstances that our hero was never looking for occur and before you know it, Indiana Jones is riding horseback through a subway tunnel after being set up by his long-lost goddaughter, Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Clandestine antagonists are hot on their trail, particularly a professor who goes by the name of Schmidt (Mads Mikkelsen). Then it is on to Morocco, followed by a diving expedition among a school of threatening eels. Sicily is next, and I dare not even reveal where the final destination takes place, but it’s a welcome and very appropriate surprise. Bravo to the promotion machinists for not even hinting where this new film eventually escorts Indy and his pals.
When George Lucas invented the famed archeologist with the fedora hat, crackling whip, and leather jacket, I believe he was simply looking to arrange with Steven Spielberg to offer an update of the Saturday cliffhanging serials they watched as adolescents. Indiana Jones was not a character in Raiders Of The Lost Ark. He was a carving. Harrison Ford occupied the well-worn image. Spielberg’s silhouettes of the man kept him thankfully recognizable. Later films gave the world traveler more depth with back stories pertaining to his father (a timelessly memorable Sean Connery) and his one true love Marion (Karen Allen; isn’t she great?). Indiana Jones is an archeologist by trade. Yet, in an age of advancing technology with television sets in every home during the 1980s and video games being updated quicker than people pay for them, the character is cinema’s greatest historian and one its most adoring adventurers. The greatest achievement that The Dial Of Destiny offers is an absolutely perfect send-off to the character that movie goers have gotten to know since he first appeared in 1981, when he was the best alternative to James Bond.
Unlike the British secret agent, though, I truly believe only one actor can play Indiana Jones. All five films demonstrate that Harrison Ford is irreplaceable. Unlike Bond, who is written to adapt to the respective modern age in which every new film is produced, Ford has aged in line with Jones. Indiana Jones is a traveler through the history of the twentieth century, researching and uncovering evidence of centuries past. In his youth he’s fallible, and his improvisation to get out of a tight squeeze remains thematically the same during his elder years. Time passes and evolves over the twentieth century, but Dr. Jones’ profession and vast intelligence lives in a past before evolution and technological advancement.
This film features snippets of 60s rock music and references the moon landing. Jones clearly is grumpily dismissive of these new discoveries. They are not appropriate in his world. His best skills in the field to fend off what interferes with him are a weapon of ancient times (his whip), some hard-hitting punches and a six-shooter pistol. Other than his researched knowledge, he doesn’t advance further than that. So, the character ages physically and out of modern date, just as the man who portrays him does as well. Ford goes shirtless in one scene. The wrinkles, grey hair, pot belly and love handles show.
The cast is very welcoming in this latest movie. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is especially fun and spunky in the same vein as Karen Allen. She’s smart and instinctual. Daringly adventuresome too. I know she’s a newly celebrated screenwriter, but I’d love to see more of her in front of the camera as well. Toby Jones is that character actor who always looks fitting for a period piece. Mads Mikkelsen is who casting agents dial up for the quiet, yet scary, villain that the best heroes in film need to face off against. He’s not doing anything we haven’t seen him do before, but he works well as a smart Nazi stooge. Antonio Banderas is here, not doing much really. A kid actor named Ethann Isidore joins the party, reminiscent of the Short Round character, and John Rhys-Davies as Indy’s trusty pal Sallah returns for a few scenes to welcome applause.
The cast is dynamic, and all have their shining moments, but the film belongs to Harrison Ford. I regard his latest performance with a warm smile as a salute to his distinguished career of playing those everyman roles without the bulked-up muscles or tough guy bravado. He never had the skillful soldier like ease of getting out of any dangerous situation like a Stallone or Schwarzenegger. Ford steers his characters to those pictures where none of them, including Indiana Jones, ever expect to get caught up in grand adventures. Yet, when it happens his performances leave you yearning for him to triumph and win out in the end. The best example is Indiana Jones, of course. He carries his audiences with the smarts of the character and the pursuit of the unknown and what we can learn more about. The Indiana Jones series is one of the greatest inventions to ever grace a movie theater. Because they are born out of history, they will always remain timeless and priceless with each passing generation that discovers these wonderful films.
It’s good to have Indiana Jones back in theaters. I can’t wait to see this movie again.