22 September 2023 , 14:14
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One of the most eagerly-awaited films of the year, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny whipped fans of the fedora-sporting hero into a frenzy ahead of its release this summer.
Since then, speculation has been rife about when the fifth instalment of Lucasfilm's phenomenally successful franchise will be landing on Disney Plus. In the latest adventure, Harrison Ford returns as intrepid archaeologist Indy as he races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history. Ably assisted by goddaughter Phoebe Waller-Bridge, it isn't long before the team are squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA.
Directed by James Mangold and scored by the inimitable John Williams, Dial of Destiny certainly had the right ingredients to be a megahit, but has so far grossed 'just' $382.9 million worldwide. We say 'just' as due to its expensive production costs ($294.7 million) and marketing budget, the film was deemed a box-office bomb.
With a ho-hum 6.7 rating on IMDB, the movie is widely regarded as being only marginally better than predecessor, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The flick falls a long way short of the dizzying heights of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and Last Crusade, which are all undisputed classics of the genre. Many IMDB users questioned why Dial ... needed to be made.
DarkVulcan29 posted: "The sense of fun just wasn't there this time, as the film started to get to the point, I was losing interest. Some moments I liked, but all in all I was just wanting this to end."
Harrison Ford calls co-star Helen Mirren "still sexy" and a "remarkable actress"
Slightlymad22 said: "Ford is game, and almost everything he does in this movie is believable. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is just annoying. I never bought their relationship for one second, nothing feels real. None of her jokes landed and in the full movie, there was only one laugh in my screening and that was during a Raiders of The Lost Ark call back. It pains me to say, I'll probably never watch it again."
Cinemaclown said: "What makes the ride dull is the same rinse 'n' repeat approach that surface throughout the film, in addition to it not having any genuine sense of danger, adventure or escalation. Humour is often poorly timed and the picture also fails to provide John Williams any moment to allow his music to soar. Harrison Ford manages to hold his own in spite of the frailty in his performance but the rest are forgettable. A lifeless, overlong & mediocre offering."
Disney+ has confirmed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and its companion documentary -Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford - will launch on the streaming platform on Friday, December 15.