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MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is the fifth (and possibly the very last) film in a series that began 42 years ago with Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is a fast-paced return to the franchise and entertaining enough to keep most audiences interested for two hours and twenty minutes.

The film begins in 1944 with a lengthy prologue that finds Indiana Jones, a few new characters, and a lot of Nazis fighting to get their hands on two relics – the Lance of Longinus (the spear that pierced Christ’s side - news to me!) and the Antikythera – the Dial of Destiny – a mechanical device invented by Archimedes that is able to create fissures in time.

Jumping ahead to 1969, we catch Indy relaxing in his New York apartment and complaining to his neighbors that they are playing Beatles music too loud. Indy is also dealing with some real losses in his life, including divorce papers from his wife. We follow him to campus where his passion for relics no longer holds the attention of his bored students. It’s time for him to retire and leave the adventures to the astronauts who have just returned from walking on the moon. Or is it?

Of course not. We meet Indy’s goddaughter Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge), the daughter of a colleague (we meet him in the prologue), who is now interested in the Dial for its monetary value. Also seeking to recover the artifact is Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a Nazi astrophysicist (also introduced in the prologue) who has sinister reasons to want to harness the Antikythera’s power.

There has been a lot of care given to this episode with Harrison Ford returning in splendid fashion and Phoebe Waller-Bridge bringing mischievous charm as Helena, a younger partner and occasional competitor.

If you’ve seen all four of the earlier movies, you might be in for a treat. More Nazis! More antiquities! Favorite characters from the past! And, since the original viewers of the first film are advancing in age – there are reflections on mortality and grief. Finally, for younger fans who like things fast-paced and outrageous – there are many quick-moving CGI chases and a totally bonkers last act. It’s everything you could ask for and so much more.

But as a standalone adventure, Dial of Destiny just doesn’t work. It is totally unnecessary, with no reason to exist except as fan service. It is simply the resurrection of everything that worked earlier brought back to life. As a professed follower of Jesus Christ, you’d think that I’d be all in!

At least this movie has the good sense to conclude the series in memorable fashion with a touching final scene, saying farewell to Indiana Jones before he could turn into a relic.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Three halos: An entertaining conclusion to a much beloved – and long-lasting – film franchise.
Three pitchforks: Brief swearing; many scenes of violence, including death; drinking and smoking; theft of priceless objects, of course.

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