Indy 5: A Review and a Ranking

 

Much has been said about the use of A.I. in de-aging a decidedly aged Harrison Ford for some flashback scenes in the 5th (and final, according to Ford) Indiana Jones movie, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. My two cents' worth: It was well-executed (even though there was just a bit of a noticeable "there's something not quite right here" about it) and perfectly served the story...in other words, it wasn't just a gimmick to put butts in the seats.

Now...with that out of the way, let me express my opinion that this is a good-if-not-great movie. It had plenty of beats that were reminiscent of earlier films in the series...some were even quotes. (When you see it, I dare you not to think of a particular blond Nazi saying, "Go between zem? Are you crazy?")

I had read part of somebody's review before going to see it. They said that they thought Dial of Destiny was slow and way too long. I say everybody has a right to be wrong. I found this Indy installment to be well-paced with plenty of action and just the right amount of times to catch your breath and get reminded what it was all about.

It was fun catching all the Easter-egg-type visuals that related to Dr. Jones' life as an adventurer before growing old in academia. It was also fun seeing him deny the effect of all those years and still mix it up with his bone-crunching punches and daring jumps to safety.

So, Dewey, where do you rate this one compared to the other four?

In terms of my personal fondness for each Indiana Jones movie, here's the low-down:

1.  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The father/son relationship between Ford and Connery make this especially satisfying, but the real reason this tops my list is how the plot forces Indy to ponder his spirituality. "My soul is prepared, Dr. Jones! How is yours?"

2.  Raiders of the Lost Ark: Everyone's introduction to our favorite archeologist. And all the stunts were real. No phony-baloney CGI. "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?"

3.  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: What a satisfying closing chapter of a great adventure story. I loved the final image of Indy's hat being hung out to dry and then...well, you should see it for yourself. "I don't believe in magic. But a few times in my life, I've seen things. Things I can't explain."

4.  Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Very dark, but you gotta love Short Round. "I'm very little! You cheat very big!"

5.  Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Only included on this list because it IS an Indiana Jones movie after all. Otherwise, the CGI ants and monkeys can all go take a hike. I remember leaving the theater saying "Steven Spielberg could make a movie like that in his sleep. In fact, I think he did."