Indiana Jones and the Dial of destiny has Indiana Jones going on one last adventure. For this last adventure Indy has some familiar faces showing up and also some new ones. Most notably, his goddaughter Helena and her little pal Teddy. Together they go on an adventure to fight Dr. Voller’s evil Nazi plot.
Story
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny at its core is a story about relationships. Yes, there is an adventure as Indy and company chasing after rare antiquities that could change the course of history. Yes, there is a really sold villain. Most importantly though, there are relationships that feel true and develop in a very natural and believable way. The relationships that are portrayed have plenty of heart and make for a wonderful progression moving forward. yes, there are some things that are a bit of a stretch but this is an Indiana Jones movie and should be expected.
Quality
Watching Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a very enjoyable experience. There are some beautiful scenes to enjoy and the filmmakers did a wonderful job of taking people back into the time periods being shared. The de-aging that was utilized in the film for the most part was pretty good. It was not perfect but it was enjoyable enough. I was very thankful that the film didn’t feel like it was in a digital environment too much. It is also wonderful to hear a new John Williams score with Helena’s Theme being a highlight in it. This may not be John Williams’ greatest score but it is still beautiful. Overall, this is not a perfect film from a quality standpoint. However, its flaws don’t cause any major distractions to the story and overall it is still very enjoyable.
Characters
The characters in this film really are what make it a great film. First off is Indiana Jones. He is an older man who has been beat down by time and has gotten to the point where he is just trying to survive each day. He is a man who is hurting and is broken hearted. This evolves as the film in a wonderful way. Helena also is a wonderful addition to the franchise. She also has a nice development as a character that was very enjoying and gratifying to watch. I found the progression of both of these characters to very endearing. While I didn’t necessarily love where these haha tears started, I liked where they ended up going. In hindsight, I am pleased with the character choices that were made.
Music
In theory, this is the final film soundtrack written by John Williams. However, this could always change. The music for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has some absolutely beautiful moment. It may not be his most solid film of all time but it is one that fits the movie and continues to show off the brilliant of the Maestro of the Movies. I have already listened to the soundtrack several times since seeing the movie and love it. As mentioned before, Helena’s Theme is a beautiful piece that will undoubtably end up being played when John Williams conducts different orchestra concerts moving forward.
Final Thoughts
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a wonderful finale for Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. I’m not entirely sure what I expected going into this movie. I do know that walking out I felt feeling very gratified. the film told a story that was a classic Indiana Jones film and that also moved the story forward and completed the story of Indiana Jones. There are some moments that were really beautiful and others that were exciting. The most important thing, however, was that it was a fun movie-going experience. It is a movie-going experience that I definitely would like to repeat. While Indiana Jones never loses his hat, I take my hat off to him and this movie.
