Nearly half a century ago, George Lucas had the idea to revive the adventure genre, which had not entirely ceased to exist, but changed into something quite different than the ones he grew up watching, which prompted him to create a character that served as a terrific throwback to the action serials from his childhood. He handed the reigns over to his friend Steven Spielberg, who gladly took on the task of directing the film, and as a result we saw the birth of Indiana Jones, whose exploits captivated and enthralled audiences for decades over the course of a series of films, in which we watch in gleeful anticipation as Spielberg and Lucas, and a few other terrific collaborators on both sides of the camera, told these engaging and entertaining stories. However, everything has to come to an end, and nothing reminds us of the joys we had like a concluding chapter, granted we do get one that is definitively the end, regardless of how much time it takes. It seemed like we had said goodbye to our beloved historical adventurer fifteen years ago when he voyaged to the jungles of South America to find the secrets of the crystal skull, but we have been given the opportunity to now see him in one final journey in the form of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, perhaps his most ambitious and perilous adventure yet. Helmed by James Mangold, who takes over from Steven Spielberg (who opted to make this the first, and presumably only, film in this series that he did not direct), but featuring many of the same talented individuals that played a part in the character’s creation, this film is truly special. Leaping between America, Africa and Europe, we follow our beloved “Indy” as he goes in search of the proverbial Dial of Destiny, the powers contained far exceeding any expectations – and while it may not be quite as exceptionally well-constructed as the original trilogy, it is still nothing short of astonishing, and one of the many incredible films featuring this character, who has consolidated himself into history far better than some may have anticipated when the concept was first announced all those years ago.

As is often the case with revisiting an iconic character after quite some time, there is an inherent risk that it is going to spend too much time playing into the nostalgia that it will lose sight of the central intentions, which was not only to be a continuation, but also a solid film on its own. Considering how iconic Indiana Jones is, and how he has stood the test of time for longer than the majority of characters, the challenge was even more intimidating, especially since we had a new director shepherding the production. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is very smart in how it refuses to play into the nostalgia in a way that feels all-encompassing and like the driving force behind the story. The previous film did tend to play on these emotions slightly too much, only narrowly avoiding becoming overwrought, which was already quite a challenge – it’s not the fault of any of the people involved, since rebooting a franchise, whether in the form of a continuation or starting new, comes with risks that not even the best filmmakers can entirely overcome. Therefore, Lucas and his coterie of collaborators construct a story that feels both fresh and familiar, which is perhaps the only way that they could have gone about making this film without it becoming entirely dependent on previous films, but still having that sense of continuity and consistency that is just as important as originality. This is an extremely fitting farewell to one of the most legendary characters in the history of cinema, handcrafted by a large team of artists who unite to tell one final story, and therefore everyone is working at full capacity, delivering exceptional work that is striking and deeply entertaining, much more than several of the other films based around the idea of revisiting an iconic character from previous decades. Nostalgia is a powerful tool when used correctly, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is one of the best examples of this in practice, since even at its most self-referential, there is a sense of not depending on the previous films to tell this story. Instead, these references are limited to clever throwbacks that will charm fans and those who have experience with these films, but not direct the narrative in a way that feels overly focused on past stories, which is perhaps the best way to make such a film.

The Indiana Jones films have always followed a very familiar structure, working around a formula that is consistently reliable, and malleable enough to never feel like it is retreading the same themes (and in the rare moments where it does revive certain concepts, it feels logical and often extremely compelling), and this film is not any different – if anything, there is even more reason to revive old concepts, since we are dealing with something much more interesting. The film takes advantage of the protagonist now being a septuagenarian, making some creative narrative decisions that showcase the character’s versatility, so much that even at such an advanced age, he retains the same spark that made him so captivating in the first place, but not in a way that ever panders to our sympathies. Now set in the year 1969, the writers are given the opportunity to explore several different subjects that were not available to them in previous films, which were set between the 1930s (in the case of the original trilogy), and the 1950s. Suddenly, we have a grizzled Jones struggling to fit into a rapidly changing world – he is no longer the dynamic, exciting lecturer he was when he was younger, but a dourer, psychologically exhausted academic looking forward to his retirement – and naturally, any time we see an action hero become too comfortable in their civilian life is the moment we know there is one final adventure lurking on the horizon. Considering the potential this film had in terms of being a final entry into this series, we have to admire how much work is done to show exactly why these films are so thoroughly captivating, and it is clear that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is made by people who genuinely care for the material – for the returning veterans, this is their chance to say goodbye to a character they helped create and consolidate in film history, while for the newcomers, it is an opportunity to pay tribute to the series that raised many of us. There is so much dedication contained within this film, we can easily overlook the few shortcomings that are present but never entirely notable, at least not enough to derail the sheer joy that comes from watching this character go on one final voyage.

The reason Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny actually came to fruition is primarily that Harrison Ford agreed to return to play the character – as much as Lucas may have wanted to tell one final story, with Ford in the lead, it is doubtful this film would have been made. Over the past decade, he has returned to many of the iconic roles he played earlier in his career – we were given the chance to bid farewell to Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and see K in Blade Runner 2049, so he is certainly not against returning to these parts when the material is good. Indiana Jones is an entirely different matter, since it is a character that he defined, and which in turn essentially made him one of Hollywood’s most important actors, and a bankable star that can still bring in viewers. His performance in this film is as wonderful as always – there is something about this character that just motivates Ford to be at his most dynamic, stretching himself physically and emotionally in ways that are always extremely impressive and never anything short of spellbinding, which is an immense achievement. He is aware that this is his final opportunity to play the character, and he works well with the material, which admirably never relies on jokes about his age, or uses the fact that Jones is much older as a source of tension. Instead, we find the character being more self-reflective and complex than ever, and Ford’s performance reflects this beautifully. We have the likes of John Rhys-Davies and Karen Allen returning, albeit in quite small roles (although they make a substantial impact), while Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the series as another young adventurer whom Jones takes under his wing, as well as Mads Mikkelsen, who adds another entry onto the list of franchises in which he played a villain, turning in a chilling and wonderfully eccentric performance as the sinister Nazi scientist who functions as a thinly-veiled pastiche of Wernher von Braun, one of the many characters throughout this series based on real people. These films have always been unusually strong when it comes to performances, since we don’t often expect such strong work in terms of acting, but it does elevate the experience and make it all the more enthralling, which is precisely why these films have stood the test of time.

Yet, if we put all this nostalgia aside, and focus on the actual production, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is an incredibly well-made film in every sense of the word, and just as daring as anything else in this franchise, which is not only proof of the concept’s longevity, but also Mangold’s exceptional gifts as a filmmaker. It is certainly not his first foray into genre filmmaking, and while he may not necessarily have been the obvious choice to helm this film, he is certainly qualified in a very traditional sense. He is someone who is reliable enough to always deliver a strong film, but he has the versatility that is easily adaptable to any material – this has ultimately meant that his films do partially lack an authorial vision in terms of their direction, making Mangold essentially an elevated version of a classical era journeyman director, which is admirable in its own right, and works out in the favour of this film since he can develop the story in a way that is still very consistent with his own artistic values, but not too deviant from the work done by Spielberg over the years. It’s a smart, interesting approach that makes him a good choice for the directorial role, since he is experienced enough to take on the many challenges and deliver them with genuine consistency. He is helped along by a terrific group of collaborators behind the camera – Indiana Jones would not be the same with John Williams’ magnificent score, and if this is indeed his final score (as he has been saying for a while), it is certainly a wonderful conclusion to his stunning career. Combining the distinctive theme with new musical elements creates an even richer, more evocative score that feels like a perfect crescendo for the character and his story. Mercifully, Phedon Papamichael takes over from Janusz Kamiński as director of photography, with the latter being a decent cinematographer, but not one equipped for the expansive world of Indiana Jones, which requires someone with a dynamic set of skills and a strong attention to detail, which we find helps elevate this story to incredible heights, which is especially important considering the inconsistent visual style of the previous film was the source of a lot of criticism. As a whole, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a very strong film with a good sense of direction, and Mangold perfectly adapts his style to follow in Spielberg’s footsteps, an intimidating but worthwhile challenge, since the results are exceptional.

In terms of pure objectivity, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny does pale in comparison to Raiders of the Lost Ark, which is not only a peak in this series, but the gold standard for the genre, but this is barely notable since very few films can ever truly live up to that legacy. However, this doesn’t mean the subsequent films have been anything less than incredible on their own, and this final chapter gives us one final opportunity to experience this character and his fantastic adventures. I am not one to wax poetic when it comes to the subject of parasocial relationships, but watching this film feels like we are saying goodbye to a good friend – three generations have had the opportunity to be raised with this character, watching his fascinating adventures throughout the world, and many of us found ourselves developing a genuine love for history through these stories. Even well into adulthood, we find that these films are as entertaining and compelling as ever, and it isn’t unlikely that we feel like the same sense of childlike wonder, a curiosity that drives these films and makes them so incredibly captivating. It is a film with so much heart and soul, and a genuine love for exploring the unknown, which is only possible through the incredible convergence of ideas that drive this narrative, and have been a cornerstone of the franchise for decades. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny manages to be both original in how it approaches the main tenets of the franchise, and unique in introducing us to new ideas, the oscillation between the two being the main reason this film feels so wonderful and unique. There is a sense of nostalgia that does recur throughout the film, but it is never heavy-handed, and every bit of melancholia we feel while saying goodbye to this character is justified by the manner in which his story concludes. There wouldn’t ever be any perfect way of closing the book on this character, but Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny does its best, and takes us on such a beautiful journey, it feels appropriate for it to end on such a unique note. It has its moments of brilliance, but it is mostly just a reliable conclusion to one of the most entertaining franchises in the history of film, and one that proves there is always a way to end a story without needing to resort to cliches, since sometimes the most simple concepts are also the most effective.