Fifteen years after the disappointing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Harrison Ford reprises his iconic role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. As a longtime fan of the Indiana Jones character, this movie left me feeling completely empty and unsatisfied. While Harrison Ford once again delivers a fantastic performance, he fails to carry the movie on his own. While this film is mostly a classic, solid action/adventure feature, it completely loses the essence of the Indiana Jones franchise in the final act. The movie fails to amaze at any point and barely offers any creative new ideas in its genre.

To give credit where credit is due, in the first hour, the movie actually captures the essence of the old-classic Indiana Jones films. Whenever Indy chases Nazis on trains or in the desert, I couldn't help but smile, recalling scenes from the previous movies. However, this nostalgic feeling is the maximum Indiana Jones experience you'll get from this film. The movie focuses too much on different topics and characters, often losing its way throughout its excessively long runtime. 

This lengthy runtime is largely consumed by Indy’s team-up with his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), the daughter of his World War II friend Basil Shaw. Waller-Bridge portrays a cold-hearted and tiresome character who only becomes likable in the last 20 minutes of the film. Before that, all we see is Jones and Shaw arguing for about 100 minutes, which becomes quite exhausting to watch. Together, they reluctantly coexist and try to find the second piece of a holy dial.

The dial becomes the focal point of intense duels between Indy, Helena, and their formidable adversary Jürgen Voller, brilliantly portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen. Voller, who was once a rival to both Jones and Basil during World War II, has newfound power and influence that he is more than willing to wield to get whatever he wants. While Voller himself poses a significant threat, his sidekicks feel out of place and fail to leave a lasting impression. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the main issue lies elsewhere.

The most problematic aspect of this movie is undoubtedly the screenplay. Numerous times, I found myself frustrated, shaking my head, and questioning if they really intended to tell the story in this manner. There are logical issues and inconsistent character actions throughout that constantly diminished my interest in the unfolding plot. While the movie is highly predictable for the first two-thirds, it goes completely off the rails in the final act. When you suddenly find yourself in the theater unsure if you're watching a Back to the Future movie or an Indiana Jones film, it becomes apparent that the script is a mess. The last 20 minutes felt like a punishment for Indiana Jones fans and made the deeply flawed fourth film seem like a masterpiece.

In conclusion, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny briefly ignites a flame of hope in viewers in the beginning but quickly loses the charm of the classic movies. It lacks focus, concentrates on the wrong aspects and characters, and only has a few moments where the characters truly shine. While it may be technically well-executed, it fails to be anything special on any level. Sadly, it serves as an underwhelming farewell to this legendary character.

5.5/10