About
The film is set in 1969, a year after the events of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indiana Jones is approaching retirement and struggling to fit into a world that seems to have outgrown him. He is contacted by his estranged goddaughter Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge), a rebellious journalist who has uncovered a conspiracy involving Jürgen Voller (Mikkelsen), a former Nazi scientist who now works for NASA. Voller is searching for the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient device that can manipulate time and alter history. Indy and Helena team up with Teddy (Isidore), a young prodigy who can decipher the device’s secrets, and Renaldo (Banderas), a charismatic smuggler who has a personal vendetta against Voller. Together, they embark on a globe-trotting quest to find the two halves of the Antikythera before Voller does and stop him from changing the outcome of World War II.
Cast
- Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw
- Antonio Banderas as Renaldo
- Toby Jones as Basil Shaw
- Boyd Holbrook as Klaber
- Ethann Isidore as Teddy
- Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Jürgen Voller
- Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood
- John Rhys-Davies as Sallah
Crew
- James Mangold - Director, Co-writer
- Jez Butterworth - Co-writer
- John-Henry Butterworth - Co-writer
- David Koepp - Co-writer
- Kathleen Kennedy - Producer
- Frank Marshall - Producer
- Simon Emanuel - Producer
- Steven Spielberg - Executive Producer
- George Lucas - Executive Producer
- John Williams - Composer
- Phedon Papamichael - Cinematographer
- Michael McCusker - Editor
- Andrew Buckland - Editor
- Dirk Westervelt - Editor
Story
The story begins with a flashback to 1944, where Indy and his friend Klaber (Holbrook) are infiltrating a Nazi base in Greece. They discover that the Nazis have found one half of the Antikythera mechanism, a mysterious bronze artifact that dates back to ancient times. Indy and Klaber manage to escape with the artifact, but are pursued by Voller (Mikkelsen), a ruthless SS officer who is obsessed with finding the other half. Indy manages to hide the artifact in a crate before he and Klaber are captured by Voller. Voller tortures Indy for information, but Klaber sacrifices himself to save Indy and allow him to escape.
25 years later, in 1969, Indy is teaching at Marshall College when he receives a visit from Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge), his goddaughter whom he hasn’t seen in years. Helena is a journalist who has been investigating Voller’s activities for NASA. She reveals that Voller survived the war and has been working on Project Apollo under a false identity. She also shows Indy a photo of Voller holding the other half of the Antikythera mechanism, which he has recently acquired from an auction in Italy. Helena convinces Indy to help her expose Voller’s true identity and intentions.
Indy and Helena travel to Italy, where they meet Renaldo (Banderas), a charming smuggler who claims to have stolen Voller’s half of the Antikythera mechanism. However, they soon realize that Renaldo has double-crossed them and sold them a fake. They are then attacked by Voller’s men, who have tracked them down. They manage to escape with the help of Teddy (Isidore), a young genius who has been following them. Teddy reveals that he is a fan of Indy’s work and that he has been studying the Antikythera mechanism for years. He explains that the device is actually a sophisticated computer that can calculate astronomical events and manipulate time. He also reveals that he has located the crate where Indy hid his half of the device in 1944, which is now stored in a warehouse in Morocco.
Indy, Helena, and Teddy travel to Morocco, where they reunite with Indy’s old friends Sallah (Rhys-Davies) and Marion (Allen), who have been living there since their marriage. They also encounter Basil Shaw (Jones), Helena’s father and Indy’s former mentor, who has been working as a curator for a local museum. Basil reveals that he has been secretly working with Voller, who has promised him access to the Antikythera mechanism in exchange for his expertise. Basil betrays Indy and his friends and leads them into a trap set by Voller, who captures them and takes both halves of the device.
Voller takes Indy and his friends to a secret NASA facility in Nevada, where he plans to use the Antikythera mechanism to open a portal to the past and change history. He reveals that he intends to go back to 1944 and prevent Klaber’s death, which would allow him to capture Indy and the other half of the device. He also reveals that he plans to use the device to alter the course of World War II in favor of the Nazis, creating a new timeline where they win the war and conquer the world. Voller activates the device and opens the portal, but Indy and his friends manage to break free and fight back. A chaotic battle ensues, during which Indy and Voller enter the portal and end up in 1944.
Indy and Voller arrive at the Nazi base where they first met, just as Indy and Klaber are escaping with the artifact. Voller tries to kill Klaber, but Indy intervenes and saves him. Indy then faces off with Voller in a fistfight, while Klaber tries to destroy the device. However, Voller manages to overpower Indy and grabs the device, but before he can use it, Klaber shoots him in the chest, killing him. The device malfunctions and explodes, creating a shockwave that sends Indy back to 1969.
Indy wakes up in the NASA facility, where he finds that everything is back to normal. He reunites with Helena, Teddy, Renaldo, Sallah, and Marion, who have also returned from the portal. They also find that Basil has redeemed himself by helping them escape from Voller’s men. Indy then realizes that he still has his half of the Antikythera mechanism in his pocket, which he decides to keep as a souvenir. He also reconciles with Helena and thanks her for bringing him back to life. The film ends with Indy and his friends riding off into the sunset in Renaldo’s car.
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Box office collection
According to Box Office Mojo 1, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny grossed $154 million worldwide as of July 6, 2023. The film opened at number one in North America with $62 million, which was below expectations due to mixed reviews and competition from other summer blockbusters such as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and The Flash. The film also performed well in international markets such as China ($28 million), Japan ($15 million), France ($12 million), Germany ($10 million), and Italy ($9 million). However, the film faced some controversy in India, where it was banned by some state governments for allegedly depicting Hindu gods in a negative light.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | Official Trailer
What is special and where did it beat
One of the special aspects of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is that it marks Harrison Ford’s final appearance as Indiana Jones, after playing the character for over four decades. Ford delivers a charismatic and emotional performance as an aging hero who still has some tricks up his sleeve. The film also pays homage to previous films in the series by featuring familiar elements such as exotic locations, ancient artifacts, booby traps, chases, fights, humor, romance, and nostalgia. The film also features some impressive action sequences such as a car chase through Rome, a motorcycle chase through Marrakesh, a train fight on a rocket sled, and a time travel battle in Greece.
Another special aspect of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is that it introduces time travel as a new element to the franchise. The film explores the concept of changing history and its consequences through the Antikythera mechanism, which is based on a real-life artifact that was discovered in 1901 near an ancient shipwreck off Greece. The film also features some historical figures such as Albert Einstein (played by Mark Rylance) and Winston Churchill (played by Gary Oldman) who appear briefly during Indy’s time travels.
However, not everyone was pleased with this aspect of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Some critics and fans felt that the film deviated too much from the original tone and style of the series, which was more grounded in reality and historical accuracy. They also felt that the film relied too much on CGI and spectacle, and that the time travel plot was confusing and inconsistent. Some also complained that the film wasted some of its potential by not exploring more of the 1960s culture and politics, such as the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the space race. Some also criticized the film for being too long, too predictable, and too sentimental.
Top reviews
Here are some excerpts from the top reviews of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny by critics and fans:
“It’s fun; it’s wacky; it works.” - Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline Hollywood Daily 1
“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 2
“James Mangold brings the character’s adventures to a satisfying close.” - James Mottram, South China Morning Post 3
“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 4
“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
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny delivers an uneven but entertaining final chapter for Harrison Ford’s Nazi-punching film hero.” - Christopher Campbell, Rotten Tomatoes
“I’m A Massive Fan Of Indiana Jones Who Is Skipping Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, Here’s Why” - Mike Reyes, CinemaBlend
Watch or not
Whether you should watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny or not depends on your expectations and preferences. If you are a fan of the franchise and want to see Harrison Ford’s farewell to the iconic character, you might enjoy the film for its nostalgia, action, and humor. If you are looking for a fresh and original take on the adventure genre, you might be disappointed by the film’s convoluted plot, overuse of CGI, and controversial inclusion of time travel. Ultimately, the film is a mixed bag that tries to please everyone but ends up pleasing no one completely. You might want to wait for it to come out on streaming or rent it instead of paying full price at the theater.