First thing's first -- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is better than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That may seem like a low bar to cross considering the film's inglorious reputation, but it's worth highlighting how James Mangold's film -- which tackles many of the same themes as the prior entry in the Indiana Jones series -- sticks the landing far better than its predecessor. Mangold does well across the board with a film that seems firmly aware of the legacy it is playing with. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny embraces its history while having cheeky fun subverting it. While it may stumble in the third act, it is a solid entry in one of cinema's most memorable adventure series.
After an extended prologue set in the waning days of World War II, most of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes place in 1969, during the moon landing. Alone and aging, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) finds himself dragged into a new adventure by the arrival of his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Having become a rogue seller of stolen antiquities, Helena has a newfound desire to recover a priceless half of a mysterious dial, known as the Antikythera, from Indy. Having taken it from her father Basil (Toby Jones) after his investigation into it cost him his sanity, Indiana soon finds himself hunting down an on-the-run Helena and her partner in crime Teddy (Ethann Isidore) while trying to stay ahead of the former Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), whose plans for the dial could change the course of human history.
Ford's return to the character feels better than it did in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He imbues Indy with a deeper sense of lived-in exhaustion. This is Indiana Jones feels tired, both physically and emotionally. It adds to Ford's gruff charm, especially when contrasted against Waller-Bridge, who is clearly having a blast as the scene-chewing, hyper-confident Helena. An engaging contrast to Indy on a lot of levels, her slippery nature makes her a fun foil to Indy's role as the seasoned adventurer. Mads Mikkelsen is also having a lot of fun playing every Indiana Jones antagonist at once, a cruel Nazi commander who may be ill-defined but is entertaining enough to accept as a primary antagonist.
The film's first act embraces the fun of throwing Indiana Jones into a more street-level espionage film that quickly devolves into the kind of hectic chases that filled prior entries in the series. These action set-pieces are fun, if fairly weightless, but Mangold's clever direction and solid cinematography by Phedon Papamichael keep things light and entertaining. The second act hinges on the interplay between Jones and Shaw, which proves to be more than strong enough to carry the film. While the third act takes some unexpected turns and becomes rather hasty and bloated in its attempt to stick the landing, it is consistently entertaining.
This new take on classic elements of the series also comes into play with the film's MacGuffin, which justifies the globe-trotting adventure and an expedition into a tomb. There are ancient puzzles to solve, Nazis to defeat, and a mystery to investigate. At its worst, it can feel a bit like a tribute band going over the greatest hits, with many of the classic beats of Indiana Jones films being refreshed for modern audiences. In its best moments, though, this synergy between the old and the new is at once reverent and snarky. The fan service is rooted in character beats instead of arbitrary cameos, giving them more emotional weight.
Dial of Destiny was always going to falter in some ways, considering the entire Indiana Jones series -- and all action-adventure cinema -- has been trying to catch the spark that sets Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark above the rest. But Dial of Destiny gets close, updating elements of the series while retaining a clear love for the originals. It's not perfect, but fans of the series -- and adventure films in general -- will find plenty to enjoy about Indy's latest adventure.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30.