History’s greatest nazi-fighting archeologist adventurer returns as Harrison Ford reprises his legendary role as Indiana Jones in The Dial of Destiny, available now on all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. The film includes never-before-seen bonus content including five chapters that chart the making of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and showcases new characters, stunts, music, locations, production design, and visual effects.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

I’ve been a fan of Indiana Jones since my mom took me to the theater to Raiders of the Lost Ark at 6-years-old. While the gruesome cave scene terrified me, I was captivated by the action and the history involved in the film. I walked out of that theater hooked on archeology and ready to go hunt for lost cities of gold. Many years later, I minored in cultural anthropology at college, and it was all because of Indy.

I’ve seen every Indiana Jones movie, and this last one really makes an effort to bring you back to the true Indy roots. The overall color scheme on screen resembles the first couple movies more than recent ones, and they even bring back a red fez-wearing friend you’ll recognize from the first movie. There are also lots of things in the movie that seemed to be sampled from earlier movies. I’ll try to mention a few without any spoilers:

1. There’s a scene with a whip against guns, which brings back the memory of the sword against gun fight in Raiders.
2. You find out what happened to his son Mutt and Marion.
3. There’s no snakes, but there are eels! Lots and lots of eels. Also a spider scene!
4. They are following clues left in Helena’s dad’s diary, much like Indy followed his dad’s diary in The Last Crusade.
5. Indy is back to fighting the nazis and trying to get to the treasure before they do.
6. Teddy reminds me of Short Round from Temple of Doom.
7. At one point Indy refers to being tortured with voodoo, referencing his Kali Ma experience.

Dial of Destiny Synopsis and Review

The film starts with a younger Indiana Jones looking much like he did in the first couple movies thanks to a pretty convincing CGI facelift. He’s fighting the nazis who are still plundering great works of art and treasure and trying to get the lance that pierced Christ’s side at the crucifixion.

You’ll need to suspend disbelief in the effects of wind, velocity, and the extent of injuries as a result of blunt force trauma early on. People seem to be a little super-human in their ability to not get grievously harmed if they are central to the plot. And they must put Indy’s hat on with super glue because that thing is not coming off even when suspended upside down from a moving train.

Next, we flash forward to 1969, and an aging Indiana Jones who is back to being a college professor and getting ready to retire. He’s lost his son, his wife, his taste for adventure and is not in a great place. His goddaughter Helena shows up and tries to talk him into joining her on a quest for the Dial of Destiny. The plot thickens as the FBI and gangsters become involved and next thing you know he’s putting back on the hat and the whip and is off on a plane to Tangier.

In Tangier he finds Helena and her sidekick Teddy, but they are more interested in selling antiquities rather than preserving them. You’ll get to hear Indy utter his famous, “It belongs in a museum!” line one more time. There are rumors that Helena will be the one to take over the franchise as the next Indiana Jones, and I’m not totally sold on the idea if that’s true.

Of course, the nazis get involved again and try to use the Dial of Destiny for dastardly purposes involving time travel as Indy and Helena try to reach the second piece of the dial before they do. Adventure and action ensue, and in the end, things are wrapped up nicely for Indy.

It’s well known that this is Harrison Ford’s final film as Indiana Jones, so that is not a spoiler! But how exactly does it end for Indy? You’ll have to watch to find out! As a long-time fan, I enjoyed the movie. And I think that’s what they were going for- one more film to wrap things up and give the fans a chance to say goodbye to Indiana Jones.

Click here to watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on Amazon

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Trailer:

Cast
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Helena Shaw
Antonio Banderas as Renaldo
John Rhys-Davies as Sallah
Shaunette Renée Wilson as Mason
Thomas Kretschmann as Colonel Weber
Toby Jones as Basil Shaw
Boyd Holbrook as Klaber
Olivier Richters as Hauke
Ethann Isidore as Teddy
Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Voller

Directed by
James Mangold

Written by
Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and David Koepp and James Mangold