Film Journal 2023: Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny

Film Journal 2023: Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny
Directed by James Mangold


Let’s address the elephant in the room right off the hop; this is a whole lot of movie wrapped up in that nearly 3 hour run time. I imagine if it’s not working for you that will be a real sticking point. If it is, rest assured that you will get your moneys worth.

I personally had a ton of fun with this film, both on the level of pure spectacle and entertainment and as a fitting send off for a beloved character. If the Indiana we know from the first three films was iconic, this film molded him into a timeless story. Often the measure of success for me with these “final” entry installments is whether it can be the ending to the story I never knew I needed, and I think it achieves that.

So, how does Mangold handle material which up to this point has been handled by another iconic figure (Spielberg)? I think where you see his fingerprints most clearly is in the action sequences and the set design. Less of the free wheeling adventure that we find in Spielbergs signature style and more tightly crafted action sequences. And that’s not a bad thing, especially given that when we arrive at the globe trotting adventure portion that informs much of this films middle, Mangold steps aside to allow the nostalgia to take the reigns before picking them back up for the big third act finish. That balance really worked for me, and they way he films the action sequences had me on the edge of my seat for a good portion of the films run time.

Mangold is also very well suited to capturing the necessary sentimentality needed to give Indie’s story proper closure. I really liked the choices he made here in tying Indy’s past to his aged present, allowing for plenty of introspection and reflection on his journey. Manages to make him more human than icon.

And full props to him for making some bold choices in the home stretch of this films run time. I did not expect it to go where it goes, and it added a whole new dimension to the characters story that gives it that emotional weight. Where he plays much of this film close to the familiar beats, it was nice to have some surprises tossed in along the way.