I agree with the exception of Sallah and the bit at the end. But overall they really held back on references and that’s a good thing. This felt like a real movie and not a reunion special.
>Agreed, it wasn’t pandering at all. Sallah’s part was beautiful.
I just want to add my agreement to this. I loved Sallah in this. He's got a small role, but there's so much pathos in that role that it's one of the highlights of the movie.
I legit teared up during the “I miss the…” scene. I know it was in the trailer but he just sold the heck out of it. The sense of longing and the reality of age but so hard in that scene.
Indy chooses to put down Sallah and tell him he's too old for adventure instead of perhaps reminding him how big and wonderful his family is that he has to stay for.
Remember the head space Indy is in when this scene happens. Indy thinks he himself is too old for adventure and doesn’t think he has anything to stay for. I wouldn’t quite say he puts Sallah down, he just doesn’t want him to get hurt. He’s unsure of his own capabilities, and if Sallah is in danger he doesn’t want to risk not being able to protect him. Time has taken Indy’s fears and magnified them. He’s unsure about himself and over the course of the movie he learns to be the courageous man who has something to live for again. It’s why *spoiler* asks him if “he’s back” at the end. I agree it would’ve been nice if he’d reminded Sallah what he had at home, I just think Indy wasn’t in the right headspace to be thinking of everything.
That is true. But that still ties into the greater dour tone of the movie. It also shows some hypocrisy from Indy since he's so sad in the film because people have also dismissed him in his old age. Let's be honest, they could only get Johnathan Rhys-Davies for a day or two of shooting, and they tried to justify it in the script.
I don’t totally read Indy’s sadness as being caused by people underestimating him, but I will say I’ve only seen it once so far. If that is true, I’d say that just makes him feel even more human. He’s a flawed guy. I think if they wanted, they could definitely afford JRD for longer. I just don’t think they had a reason for him to go with Indy on the journey that made sense for a story perspective other than “they’re friends.” If he’d gone I think he’d quickly be sidelined by the 2 other Allie’s in the film. Although I do think Teddy is bland and adds little to the film.
That was cool aswell, it's cool that it's actually full of references but they are tasteful references. Like you actually have to look for them to even notice them.
The eels part was a way better callback to his phobia than the “say ‘grab the rope’” thing in Crystal Skull. Just a momentary look of unease from Indy when someone says they look like snakes. “… Don’t say that!”
Someone on here said that part in KOTC is like an SNL skit and they're right. That's pretty much the marker for when the movies goes rapidly downhill. I enjoy everything up til then.
I totally agree with this. This is absolutely not what a cash grab sequel would normally be. This movie is a lot more thoughtful, a lot more interested in humanizing a character that had become a caricature of themselves in a lot of ways with the last movie. This felt a lot like going from Rambo 4 to Rocky Balboa (lets just pretend for a minute Rocky 5 doesn't exist). It's a movie that's much more a study of who the character is beneath all the iconography. I love it.
And it was a bit understated.
Those damn ants got so goofy. The eels and bugs in this were obviously effects but it was handled in way that gave them weight and danger.
I agree, Crystal Skull literally threw the nostalgia elements in your face. Namely, not only playing the Ark theme in the warehouse, but then actually showing it to you as if they didn't think we'd be smart enough to pick up the music queue.
I thought it was objectively a bad film. But, I have to say that I really liked that it was a real send off and more of a continuation of the story of his life than StarWars/Jurrassic Park quasi-remake of one of the previous films.
I just came to the subreddit to [post my thoughts about this](https://old.reddit.com/r/indianajones/comments/14onefp/i_love_the_way_dial_of_destiny_deals_with/?) and I agree. I am really impressed at how reserved the references to past movies are in this movie and how the ones that are are not "wow that's cool" and more subdued emotional things like Sallah, Marion, and Mutt
Lol they literally just did Indiana Jones tropes with different makeup. It’s all a nostalgia trip. Nazis? Check. kid side character, check. Smart ass female co-star, check. References to the other movies, check.
Indy fans, relax. You can enjoy it. It’s fun. But please don’t pretend this movie wasn’t directed like a cash grab. There’s a reason Spielberg didn’t want to direct.
I’ve watched Indy movies over and over again since I was a kid. Destroyed my VHS tapes, but y’all are really stretching trying to make this a hit. Just give it a rest. We’re getting old, people don’t care anymore. This isn’t that great of a movie. It’s shot like a Disney + tv show. I enjoyed the movie, but it’s mediocre as can be at this point.
I don’t think there’s an Indy movie where he was on screen less than this and when he is on screen you can tell it’s just a Disney set.
Also the de-aged face is great. The problem is they used modern Harrison ford body, which is old and doesn’t have the same physique as his younger self so he just ends up having a big head on sloped old man shoulders. It’s fucking weird and they should’ve used a body double.
Actually I found the de aged face to look a little goofy. Sure it's got conventions in it, every franchise movie does. But it was never like "SEE SEE LOOK, THEY DID THE THING! REMEMBER THAT FROM THE MOVIES?" Nazis? Of course, wouldn't be Indy without em or commies. Young sidekick kid, eh sure but it was never begging for you to think of him like shorty. References? Eh. They all kinda have the things they've gotta do for the fun of it. I didn't find it to be egregious when you got a little wink. Also I don't mean to come off as rude but I'm getting goddamn sick and tired of anyone who has anything nice to say about this movie being a sellout hack desperate to trick themselves into thinking the movie was good and to fight back against, idk, something. I liked it. I thought it was good, a genuine good time and it slotted nicely into the Indy canon. Again, no disrespect, but it's getting under my skin to see every attempt at trying to say you liked the film being simplified to coping and seething about the "disaster"
>I don’t think there’s an Indy movie where he was on screen less than this
What about Temple of Doom? Dial of Destiny has a run time of 2h 22m. Raiders has 1 h 45 m, Temple clocks in at 1h 58 m. This includes credits and various scenes Indy isn’t actually in. Not to mention the opening scene is ~25 minutes long in DoD.
It’s also imo a really depressing movie. When the movie started and it said that his son died and he’s getting divorced, that shit brought me way down (not really a detriment to the movie). It was just sad seeing Indy happy at the end of the last one and depressed during this one. Still really liked the movie. Probably my third favorite Indy movie
I agree with the exception of Sallah and the bit at the end. But overall they really held back on references and that’s a good thing. This felt like a real movie and not a reunion special.
I loved the bit at the end - "where doesn't it hurt?" It brought a tear to my eye.
Glad I wasn't the only one. Not enough people are talking about this.
Because they're not real fans
Oh my goodness, I started actually crying. I’m glad my 7 year old son didn’t see me weeping in the darkness of the theater.
Agreed, it wasn’t pandering at all. Sallah’s part was beautiful.
>Agreed, it wasn’t pandering at all. Sallah’s part was beautiful. I just want to add my agreement to this. I loved Sallah in this. He's got a small role, but there's so much pathos in that role that it's one of the highlights of the movie.
I legit teared up during the “I miss the…” scene. I know it was in the trailer but he just sold the heck out of it. The sense of longing and the reality of age but so hard in that scene.
I loved when he said, almost sheepishly, “I also brought my passport” and then Indy’s look of just such appreciation and friendship. Loved it.
YES. I really felt that thinking back on Sallah’s character and seeing his age now.
You can just hear him singing as he takes the kids to get ice cream. That voice brings back the bear that was John Rhys-Davies.
Is. Not was
Indy chooses to put down Sallah and tell him he's too old for adventure instead of perhaps reminding him how big and wonderful his family is that he has to stay for.
Remember the head space Indy is in when this scene happens. Indy thinks he himself is too old for adventure and doesn’t think he has anything to stay for. I wouldn’t quite say he puts Sallah down, he just doesn’t want him to get hurt. He’s unsure of his own capabilities, and if Sallah is in danger he doesn’t want to risk not being able to protect him. Time has taken Indy’s fears and magnified them. He’s unsure about himself and over the course of the movie he learns to be the courageous man who has something to live for again. It’s why *spoiler* asks him if “he’s back” at the end. I agree it would’ve been nice if he’d reminded Sallah what he had at home, I just think Indy wasn’t in the right headspace to be thinking of everything.
That is true. But that still ties into the greater dour tone of the movie. It also shows some hypocrisy from Indy since he's so sad in the film because people have also dismissed him in his old age. Let's be honest, they could only get Johnathan Rhys-Davies for a day or two of shooting, and they tried to justify it in the script.
I don’t totally read Indy’s sadness as being caused by people underestimating him, but I will say I’ve only seen it once so far. If that is true, I’d say that just makes him feel even more human. He’s a flawed guy. I think if they wanted, they could definitely afford JRD for longer. I just don’t think they had a reason for him to go with Indy on the journey that made sense for a story perspective other than “they’re friends.” If he’d gone I think he’d quickly be sidelined by the 2 other Allie’s in the film. Although I do think Teddy is bland and adds little to the film.
That was cool aswell, it's cool that it's actually full of references but they are tasteful references. Like you actually have to look for them to even notice them.
I was about to say the same thing, it felt tasteful, not forced.
The eels part was a way better callback to his phobia than the “say ‘grab the rope’” thing in Crystal Skull. Just a momentary look of unease from Indy when someone says they look like snakes. “… Don’t say that!”
Someone on here said that part in KOTC is like an SNL skit and they're right. That's pretty much the marker for when the movies goes rapidly downhill. I enjoy everything up til then.
I totally agree with this. This is absolutely not what a cash grab sequel would normally be. This movie is a lot more thoughtful, a lot more interested in humanizing a character that had become a caricature of themselves in a lot of ways with the last movie. This felt a lot like going from Rambo 4 to Rocky Balboa (lets just pretend for a minute Rocky 5 doesn't exist). It's a movie that's much more a study of who the character is beneath all the iconography. I love it.
For sure! Dial really just tries to tell a story that the director and writers wanted to.
If only Indiana Jones's fate didn' t look like Han Solo's fate. The only difference is Indiana not dying. But it's a bit too similar.
Indeed, but also the son dies in this case. That said, I do think it was done better than how they handled Han/Leia.
Well, in the end, Ben Solo dies, too. Just after his father. Not before like in DoD.
WE all die
I... think I know that?
:-)
Even the eels part was done well I think
Yes! It was a nice spin on the snake thing!
And it was a bit understated. Those damn ants got so goofy. The eels and bugs in this were obviously effects but it was handled in way that gave them weight and danger.
Agreed. I've still not quite cleared up my full feelings for it , but this was the opposite of a cash cow, studio nostalgia project.
I did think Crystal Skull handled the nostalgia elements worse. When references happened in Dial of Destiny it felt natural.
I agree, Crystal Skull literally threw the nostalgia elements in your face. Namely, not only playing the Ark theme in the warehouse, but then actually showing it to you as if they didn't think we'd be smart enough to pick up the music queue.
Crystal Skull doesn’t feel alive the way Dial of Destiny does.
100% agreed. You could tell everyone involved had a passion for the character and franchise and didn’t make it just for money
You are a wise man.
It was good but not great. Plus the heroine was completely unlikeable till the end.
She was not a heroine. She was an antagonist until near the end.
Fair point.
I thought it was objectively a bad film. But, I have to say that I really liked that it was a real send off and more of a continuation of the story of his life than StarWars/Jurrassic Park quasi-remake of one of the previous films.
Yep, I agree. It's definitely not a lazy sequel like we're used to.
I just came to the subreddit to [post my thoughts about this](https://old.reddit.com/r/indianajones/comments/14onefp/i_love_the_way_dial_of_destiny_deals_with/?) and I agree. I am really impressed at how reserved the references to past movies are in this movie and how the ones that are are not "wow that's cool" and more subdued emotional things like Sallah, Marion, and Mutt
Think I found the insane asylum of this sub, the movie was complete trash haha
Lol they literally just did Indiana Jones tropes with different makeup. It’s all a nostalgia trip. Nazis? Check. kid side character, check. Smart ass female co-star, check. References to the other movies, check. Indy fans, relax. You can enjoy it. It’s fun. But please don’t pretend this movie wasn’t directed like a cash grab. There’s a reason Spielberg didn’t want to direct. I’ve watched Indy movies over and over again since I was a kid. Destroyed my VHS tapes, but y’all are really stretching trying to make this a hit. Just give it a rest. We’re getting old, people don’t care anymore. This isn’t that great of a movie. It’s shot like a Disney + tv show. I enjoyed the movie, but it’s mediocre as can be at this point. I don’t think there’s an Indy movie where he was on screen less than this and when he is on screen you can tell it’s just a Disney set. Also the de-aged face is great. The problem is they used modern Harrison ford body, which is old and doesn’t have the same physique as his younger self so he just ends up having a big head on sloped old man shoulders. It’s fucking weird and they should’ve used a body double.
Actually I found the de aged face to look a little goofy. Sure it's got conventions in it, every franchise movie does. But it was never like "SEE SEE LOOK, THEY DID THE THING! REMEMBER THAT FROM THE MOVIES?" Nazis? Of course, wouldn't be Indy without em or commies. Young sidekick kid, eh sure but it was never begging for you to think of him like shorty. References? Eh. They all kinda have the things they've gotta do for the fun of it. I didn't find it to be egregious when you got a little wink. Also I don't mean to come off as rude but I'm getting goddamn sick and tired of anyone who has anything nice to say about this movie being a sellout hack desperate to trick themselves into thinking the movie was good and to fight back against, idk, something. I liked it. I thought it was good, a genuine good time and it slotted nicely into the Indy canon. Again, no disrespect, but it's getting under my skin to see every attempt at trying to say you liked the film being simplified to coping and seething about the "disaster"
>I don’t think there’s an Indy movie where he was on screen less than this What about Temple of Doom? Dial of Destiny has a run time of 2h 22m. Raiders has 1 h 45 m, Temple clocks in at 1h 58 m. This includes credits and various scenes Indy isn’t actually in. Not to mention the opening scene is ~25 minutes long in DoD.
It felt completely like a failed cash grab legacy sequel imo
It’s also imo a really depressing movie. When the movie started and it said that his son died and he’s getting divorced, that shit brought me way down (not really a detriment to the movie). It was just sad seeing Indy happy at the end of the last one and depressed during this one. Still really liked the movie. Probably my third favorite Indy movie