phoebe waller-bridge

For great family fun, you can’t beat Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, concluding the globe-trotting adventures of the iconic archeologist, a fantastical franchise that began in 1981 with Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. This final saga begins in 1944 Germany near the near of W.W. II, as intrepid Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones Jr. (Harrison Ford) tries to help his close friend/colleague Basil ‘Baz’ Shaw (Toby Jones) save Greek mathematician/inventor Archimedes’ fabled ‘Antikythera’ – a.k.a. Dial of Destiny – a clock-like devise enabling time travel – from a nasty Nazi (Mads Mikkelson).

What’s best about this sequel is the nostalgia. They go back to the basics, filling in holes fans might wonder about and including plenty of throwbacks from the original movies, like Dr. Jones’ past relationships, his fear of snakes, and the iconic John Williams score. But what’s most impressive about the film, is how effortlessly Ford fits right back into his historic character. You can tell he’s having fun again and proves that he is still just as talented as ever.

The Dial of Destiny succeeds on nostalgia. Otherwise it’s a crazy chase after a crazy chase. On a train, in a plane, driving tuk tuks and diving off boats. On camelback and horseback…in the subway? Underwater and in the sky. This is no lie. The writers must have been high. Spoiler alert, Ford didn’t die, despite no longer being spry. Although the bad guys gave it the good ol Nazi try.

The years, the mileage, the memories, and the regrets swirl into a satisfying mix in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, a warmhearted sendoff for the globe-trotting archaeologist that puts star Harrison Ford—at eighty—back in the saddle for one more adventure. A fun treasure hunt with a few surprises, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an affectionate snapshot of an adventurer who now feels like an artifact himself. For anyone who’s been along for the whole ride, it’s gratifying to watch him discover where he belongs.