Dialing to Destiny Once More

Lets begin where we left off shall we?

(Oh and there will be spoilers, because I'm tired and can't control myself.)

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was definitely the worst of the Indiana Jones films...

But it was still an Indiana Jones film.

It was designed to be the end of the road. It put our hero at his lowest point, and then gave him one last grand adventure, a happy ending, and a possible successor.  

It also figured out what everyone who saw Raiders in 1981 figured out:

The chemistry between Ford and Allen was perfect and Indy and Marion are the one true couple of the franchise. Having her come back and play a major role in the film was one of its high points.

People, in general, weren't fans of Crystal Skull...meaning the franchise had to end again.

Aside- Honestly, this franchise ends a lot. The only film it didn't end in was Temple of Doom, because that was a prequel.

Raiders- The quest ends, Indy and Marion live happily ever after.

Crusade- Indy, his father and friends LITERALLY ride off into the sunset.

Skull- Indy and Marion happily reunited, with their son in line to follow his path...eventually.

That's one of the only real problems I had with The Dial of Destiny. Having to tell the Grand Finale AGAIN, meant bringing Indy to his lowest point and undoing the happy ending of Crystal Skull.

(Reality, or a certain actor's problems with reality, made the low point much darker than it could have otherwise been.)

The other real problem was reducing Marion to such a brief cameo after her being a key part in the stories for half of the other films. 

The whole nine of our Disney World visiting family went opening weekend, and it was clear who the film was for. Anabelle and her cousins didn't like it all that much but rated it better than Crystal Skull. (This rating process including Aurora falling asleep for a while and wondering why everyone was suddenly in a cave. Though I think Morgan like it.) While the adults probably ranked it in the same place, those of us who "were there' when the originals came out, had much more favorable thoughts for one last ride with Indiana Jones. Even the kids cheered when he did an "Indy" thing and the triumphant theme played. Oh and Rosa thought the chase scenes were too long, but (once again) that just meant "There were chase scenes."

Director James Mangold does know how to do a character ending film. He proved it with Logan , and proved it again here, and also that he can do a happy ending in one. However, it was clear that this wasn't a Spielberg directed film. For example, all the fantastic work with shadows in the other four movies wasn't present in this outing. But extending the "last ride" to John Williams's final film score insured the Indy  "feel" was there.

 Accepting the "hero at the bottom" starting point, it was a good capstone. 

Also, it is my head cannon that Indy and Marion were together and happy for all the years between the films, and Mutt's death and their separation happened immediately before time of the new movie.

It has a well over two hour run time, because using digital magic, we get one last Indiana Jones in his prime adventure. 

Cheesy? - Absolutely.

But a true joy for us old fans? Even more absolutely.

Considering the low budget level of film I usually watch, seeing a movie that could toss in a Beatles song to establish the timing was impressive.

Indy was clearly an old man in this one, but getting to see one last "old man" adventure was what it was about. The bits with Sallah, aside from being fantastic to see him, were a demonstration that Indy has been doing stuff to help all of his friends we've met with him along the way. We sort of got that with Antonio Banderas too...though sadly, he died in this film. What a waste of a fun character. I feel like Mangold still had a bit of Logan energy in this one that shouldn't have been there. 

We also got to Doctor Jones's part in the transition of Helena going from her "Fortune and Glory" phase (along with her own version of Short Round) to valuing archeological objects, and more importantly people, like Indy does.

I could easily see her adventures continuing on the big screen. However, while they would be clearly of a similar nature to the Indiana Jones films, I feel they should give them different styles, tones and music, to lay a new path rather than be a rehash.

For the final act, Bigger Spoilers:

Is the idea of random rifts in time and an ancient artifact with the ability to find them stupid?

Yes.

Is it any stupider that Ghost Summoning Dust, Magical Heat Generating Crop Enhancing Rocks, A Medically Miraculous Drinking Cup, and a Psychic and Magnetic Energy Possessing Alien Head?

Nah...not really.

And for this final ride of Indiana Jones, we finally get to see him gain more than a rescue, but personal fulfilment from the mystical McGuffin. Yes, seeing our favorite Professor of Archeology thrust back into the past was goofy as all heck. But getting to see our hero take in the wonder of what he studied his whole life are what dreams are made of.

The bonus bit was the Next Generation was the one to insist that "We still need you around Indiana Jones."

Having the villains be actual Nazis in the late Sixties could be seen as hitting the viewers over the head but:

A) Indy works best when he's punching Nazis.

B) Tragically, in the world we live in today, some people need to be reminded that the Nazi's were horribly evil, and should be punched frequently.

What was likely the final scene we will ever get to see of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, was his hand grabbing his iconic hat. A true message that Ford IS (adult) Indiana Jones, he loves the character, and no one else could ever truly be him.

For no reason I can explain, I find his devotion to this character, when compared with how much disdain Ford shows whenever asked about Star Wars to be absolutely hilarious.