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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – Film Review

Cast: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore, Mads Mikkelsen, Shaunette Renée Wilson

Director: James Mangold

Synopsis: Legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones finds himself in a race against time, and the Nazis, in a bid to recover a historical artefact…

Review: Whether it be the fedora, the whip, his sense of adventure, his charm, or the fact he loves to give a Nazi or two a punch to the face, the appeal of Dr Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones Jr is one which has endured throughout the decades ever since he made his debut in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. The subsequent three films which followed may have varied in quality, but what did not vary was the popularity of this character, which has endured to the point where he is widely regarded as one of the greatest characters in the history of cinema. Fifteen years after what was billed as his last adventure, Indy has dusted off the leather jacket and the whip, for another go at one final adventure.

The year is 1969 and Dr Jones is on the brink of retirement from his teaching job as a university lecturer. The Space Race between the USA and the Soviet Union is in full swing, with the former poised to be the first country to send people to the moon. While once his students were fascinated by the subject of archaeology, now they’re completely unenthusiastic and are far more interested in space, leaving Indy facing up to the prospect of a rather lonely future in retirement. This is until his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Waller-Bridge) shows up out of the blue seeking Indy’s help to locate an ancient historical artefact in the form of a dial, which is said to have belonged to Archimedes. Though, of course, the dial is also being pursued by former Nazi Jurgen Voller (Mikkelsen), who has since been recruited by NASA to assist the US with their efforts in the Space Race.

Before the globetrotting adventure to retrieve this artefact can begin however, the film turns back time to a thrilling 20-minute prologue set during the tail end of World War II minute prologue, where a younger Indy (via a digitally de-aged Ford) and his fellow archaeology enthusiast Basil Shaw (Jones) are in search of another artefact which they believe may be in the possession of the Nazis of. However, a chance encounter leads them to this dial which may or may not have some kind of magical powers of some kind to it. It wouldn’t be an Indy film without it! Fast forward 25 years, and Indy and Helena set off on a new adventure to retrieve this priceless treasure before it falls into the wrong hands.

Ford is an actor who has no shortage of legendary roles to his name, each of which he has reprised over the years to wonderful effect, and Indy is no exception. It is apparent Ford has a great affinity for this character, and despite his age, he puts in a committed performance proving there is no one else to don Indy’s fedora. Given the length of time Ford has played this role, the script by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp and James Mangold leans into this longevity and the fact that an adventure of this nature would wear an adventurer of his age down. His general grumpiness, combined with Helena’s endless energy and enthusiasm, lends itself to some comedic moments, and Waller-Bridge is tremendous in the role. She is easily given the most development out of all the new characters, which is frustrating particularly where Mikkelsen’s villain is concerned. He’s an actor who has proved he can play a thoroughly unlikeable villain with nuance and subtlety to the point where you almost feel sorry for him. Unfortunately, the script doesn’t develop him much beyond he’s a former Nazi who is desperate to find this dial for his nefarious purposes and so Indy and Helena must stop him and his assortment of goons led by Boyd Holbrook’s Klaber at all costs.

It is strange that for an Indiana Jones film, there is no involvement of either franchise creator George Lucas or the director of the first four films Steven Spielberg, with both instead serving as executive producers. Taking on the reins from Spielberg is an unenviable task, but it is one which James Mangold rises to. He is a director who notably has experience with giving a beloved character the swansong they deserve and has an incredibly broad range of films across a multitude of genres in his career. The action scenes have a vibrant energy to them and are visually stunning to look at especially the opening prologue and some of the action scenes in the second act. While these are fun to watch, the film clocks in at nearly two and a half hours, it is the longest film in the franchise to date and you begin to feel that run time by the end due to some sluggish pacing. Furthermore, the film can feel a bit too reliant on the by-the-numbers nature of its plot and the nostalgia many will undoubtedly have for this franchise, aided by the score that the living legend John Williams provides. Matching the lofty standards set by two-thirds of the original trilogy (looking at you Temple of Doom), was always going to be a tall order. However, where Kingdom of the Crystal Skull fell short, Dial of Destiny turns back time to let this character roll back the years and enable him to take a final bow befitting of an iconic screen legend.

While it leans a bit too much its nostalgia and its tried and tested formula, the committed performances from Ford and Waller-Bridge ensure the legendary archaeologist’s final adventure is one which is absolutely worth going on.

Empire of Light – Film Review

Cast: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Monica Dolan, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, Colin Firth

Director: Sam Mendes

Synopsis: On the south coast of England, a romance develops between two cinema employees…

Review: Where do you go after making what could feasibly be deemed your magnum opus? This would have been the question for Sam Mendes following the magnificent triumph of his captivating war film 1917. It has been popular among big-time Hollywood directors to focus on films which illustrate the wonders of the big screen, understandable given the COVID-19 pandemic caused cinemas everywhere to remain dark for many months. Therefore, it seems a given a renowned director like Mendes would be able to bring something unique to this increasingly popular cinematic trend. Yet, despite some good intentions, Mendes’ follow-up to his World War I masterpiece is a crushing disappointment.

Set in the early 1980s on the South Coast of England, Hillary (Colman) is the manager of the Empire, a beautiful cinema in a prime location on the seafront. Despite being a consummate professional who is dedicated to doing her job to the best of her ability in spite of the presence of her rather unpleasant boss Mr Ellis (Firth), Hillary’s happiness is beginning to diminish as the job takes a toll on her mental health. However, with the arrival of Stephen (Ward), things initially start to seem a little brighter as the two of them develop a romance. However, it is a brief respite for Hillary as her mental health worsens, especially with the country sliding into recession, putting the cinema at risk, and the foul stench of racism clogging the seaside air.

The film marks Mendes’ first solo attempt at writing a screenplay and it is telling his efforts completely crumble under the enormous weight of the story it is trying to convey. It is all well and good to tackle important social issues such as the stigma which still surrounds mental health and the poisonous presence of racism in society. Yet, it is all rendered utterly meaningless as the attempts to tackle these issues are so hamfisted and underdeveloped, that the film feels completely unsure of what it really wants to say. In doing so, it doesn’t add anything meaningful to the issues it is trying to address, even more so considering the film is also attempting to portray a love story between two cinema employees, while also coming across as a moving ode to the magic of the big screen, the latter of which seems to be tacked on as a mere afterthought. There are simply too many different subplots happening at one time and it ultimately proves too much for Mendes to weave these together all by himself.

Since winning her first Oscar in 2019, Olivia Colman has quickly become something of an industry favourite among industry and audiences alike, given she has added two further nominations in the last two years. While both Colman and Michael Ward admirably try their hardest to elevate the poor and underdeveloped material they have both been given to work with, it proves to be too difficult a challenge for both of them to overcome. Their romance is by far and away the most developed part of the film, but even then it is not nearly given the attention it needs to flourish due to the numerous ongoing themes the film tries to explore. Furthermore, there is simply not enough chemistry between the two of them which makes it difficult to care about their romance. One of the film’s few bright sparks is the ever-reliable Toby Jones as Norman, the cinema’s resident projectionist.

Frequent Mendes collaborator Roger Deakins’s cinematography is immaculate, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do not disappoint with their score. It is therefore such a shame their fine work ultimately goes to waste on a film which should have been a sure bet in such capable hands. Yet, rather than recapture the feelings of joy and wonder which often come from seeing films on the big screen in a packed auditorium, this is completely devoid of any charisma and charm, leaving nothing but an empty feeling inside. There will undoubtedly be many more films released in the coming years serving as a reminder of the power this medium can have on audiences, but this one misses the mark entirely.

Despite the best efforts of the cast and a very capable director, Empire of Light completely fails to dazzle due to its unfocused script, combining poorly developed social commentary with a half-hearted tribute to the beauty of cinema.