Film Review: The last hurrah for Indiana Jones... it’s bittersweet

Cara O'Doherty reviews Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, in cinemas now, cert 12a and gives it four stars
Film Review: The last hurrah for Indiana Jones... it’s bittersweet

Harrison Ford in his last outing as Indiana Jones.

IN 1981, Indiana Jones proved what many people already knew: that archaeologists are cool. With his leather jacket, brown fedora hat and whip, Harrison Ford cut a fine figure as Indiana Jones and oozed adventure, charisma, and a healthy love for all things ancient.

Indiana Jones has always held a special place in my heart. 

Not only did I love the films as a kid, but he is one of the reasons I became an archaeologist. For many years, before I picked up my writing pen, my trowel was my tool, fields were my film screens, and artefacts were my characters.

The franchise has three great films and a decent prequel television show, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, before a less-than-stellar outing in 2008. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was not the way to say goodbye to such an incredible character, so thankfully, we have a fifth film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Flashing back to 1944, Indiana Jones (a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford) hides out with the Nazis who have pilfered countless priceless artefacts. Wearing a uniform of the Third Reich, he attempts to retrieve a particular object when things go wrong, and he tries to outwit the Nazis. When that doesn’t work, he resorts to fighting them.

His old Professor Basil Shaw (Tony Jones) is caught up in the heist raising the stakes for Indy, who has to help his friend and protect the artefact. A Nazi, Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), is also there trying to secure the object for Hitler. The tide turns for everyone when they realise an even more important artefact, Antikythera or the Dial of Destiny, is hidden amongst the loot.

It was created by the great Archimedes, who split the dial in half and hid the two parts away from each other. After quite an ordeal, Indy finally gets his hands on one half and hides it for its safekeeping.

It is now 1969, and Indy is retiring from the university where he lectures. He is grumpy, feeling old and useless. He is not ready for the spoil heap but doesn’t know where he belongs anymore.

When his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) arrives on his doorstep, she brings a world of danger and adventure that will take them around the world in a quest for the other half of the Dial of Destiny.

The Indiana Jones films have featured strong female characters and the tradition continues with a great turn by Waller-Bridge. Helena keeps us on her toes; she is unpredictable but charismatic. Waller-Bridge has devilment in her eyes, letting her carry off the devil-may-care attitude. She is a welcome addition to the franchise, and I would love to see her return in spin-offs.

De-ageing technology is improving, and they have done an excellent job with Ford as a younger Indy in the flashbacks. As for older Indy, his age is handled well.

No one pretends that Indy is more youthful than he is. Indy is ageing, which is difficult for him. He is a man of adventure, of activity, and for all his research, he is not the type to sit quietly in a rocking chair with a book on the Mesopotamians. Indiana Jones should be all motion, but he can’t be that man anymore.

He isn’t a typical older person, Indy gets his share of the action, and while it is more than most octogenarians can do, it isn’t unbelievable. He hasn’t turned into Liam Neeson overnight, able to pull off mad stunts. Indy’s fighting skills are engrained from years of misadventures, so it makes sense that he can still throw a punch. Ford allows us to see a different side of this character and has some beautifully emotional moments.

The film is imperfect - some action scenes are hit-and-miss, and there is one jarring moment that doesn’t fit with modern cultural thinking, but the rest is befitting of an Indy adventure.

The final act is dividing people: something ridiculous happens. I can see why some people aren’t impressed, but with my archaeology hat on, it is a bit of a nod to something all archaeologists would like to experience. When the thing happens, Indy’s reaction explains why it means so much. It is a piece of fantasy, but something that Indy deserves after all these years of service.

Nostalgic yet fresh, Indiana Jones’ last hurrah is a bittersweet adventure that will warm hearts, get the adrenaline going, and maybe, just maybe, inspire a new generation of archaeologists to pick up a trowel.

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