From the rip-roaring action piece that opens things to the satisfyingly sentimental final scene, this Indiana Jones is engineered to please. With the judicious use of the de-ageing software selling Jones (Harrison Ford) as a younger man even works and having the Nazis as the bad guys past and present is always effective.
After the opening WW 2 set-piece we jump forward in time to find Jones being awoken from a deep slumber by a neighbour loudly playing the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour to herald the arrival of the first men on the moon. This expensive use of a fab four tune successfully sets up the late sixties landscape, as does the slice-of-life scenes from New York City
Coming in contact with his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) sets in motion a contrivance that features a Nazi scientist (Mads Mikkelsen) and his henchmen, a globe-trotting search for an accent artefact and a bonding experience for Jones and Helena. The missions are rather quickly accomplished as the story features more character development than just action sequences.
Having a woman playing the strongest role in this chapter might be hard for some to take but the new director of the franchise James Mangold has a lot of fun with Waller-Bridge’s performance. Ford nails the crotchety old man shtick and the ever-present stuntmen insure his lack of athleticism is not a hindrance. Getting in and out of trouble is as easy as ever for this rouge and fans of the series should have fun with The Dial of Destiny.
Rob Hudson
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