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SALT LAKE CITY — I have waxed long one too many times about my experience with the Indiana Jones franchise. From closing my eyes when the ark was opened in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" to my brother and I chanting, "Maaro maaro sooar ko, chamdi nocho pee lo khoon" as we tried to pull out each other's hearts.
Or, waiting in line for a few hours at the old Villa Theater to glimpse "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and riding the subway at 2 a.m. with my wife back to our studio apartment in Harlem, tired and disappointed after "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."
Indiana Jones has been a part of my life from the start, and the famed archeologist is back.
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is ready for theaters, but is it a worthy continuation of the franchise or another entry to pretend doesn't exist as we enjoy "Last Crusade" again?
With some trepidation, I say that "Dial of Destiny" isn't too bad and I'll explain why later. Here are some reasons I enjoyed the new adventure and why I didn't.
The good
The treasure hunting
One of the best things about the Indy movies isn't the action or jokes; it's the treasure hunting. Don't get me wrong, I love the swashbuckling and humor, but I love a great treasure-hunt story. In fact, I am such a sucker for them that as long as someone is searching for treasure, I'm usually in. I admit it, I've seen every episode of "Outer Banks," which is basically "The O.C." meets "The Goonies," and I'm not even ashamed of it.
"Dial of Destiny" is a globe-trotting adventure like earlier Indy entries, and they are looking for the next clue on each continent. This isn't the most clever hunt of the franchise but it has fun elements and puzzles to work out. It was enough of an adventure to find the dial. It kept me interested and guessing as we met new characters, faced challenges, and encountered a bullwhip once or twice.
Dr. Jones
Many people told me they thought Harrison Ford was too old to play Dr. Jones again, but he is "Indy," and always will be, regardless of his age. True, Ford will be 81 in July, and his body doesn't move like it used to, but he's still physical, and the script plays to the fact that his body is aging and he's not as spry as he once was. It was never the stunts or action that made Ford such a great Indiana; it was his humor and charm, and he still has that in spades.
Whether the movie is good, or not, there is something special about watching this movie star don the fedora and crack his whip. Indiana Jones is one of the greatest movie characters of all time, and that is thanks to Ford. It is fun to see him doing it again.
The bad
Pacing
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is two hours and 34 minutes long, and it sometimes feels like it. The film has some great action and fun, but some moments drag on too long and make you wonder why they decided to make the movie as long as they did.
After a fun epilogue to the movie, we hit the brakes and catch up with Dr. Jones in the 1960s. I understand the need for the story's setup, but it went on much longer than needed — and we had some speed bumps throughout the film.
Missing that magic
I did not dislike "Dial of Destiny," but it's missing that magic of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Last Crusade." There is something inherently wonderful about those movies; this one just doesn't quite have it. The magic I'm speaking of — maybe seeing those movies through the eyes of a child and not a cynical old man. A heavy dose of nostalgia may make me remember things differently. Whatever the reason, this new movie didn't leave that indelible mark on my cinematic mind, as those other two films did.
Conclusion
In the beginning, I mentioned that I do recommend this movie, but with some trepidation, and now is the time to tell you why. I thought I enjoyed "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" more than I did when I first saw it. It was upon a second viewing that I realized how much I didn't like the movie. I don't think I'll have the same reaction to "Dial of Destiny," but I do think I need a second viewing before I make a final decision.
I saw the film with my three kids, ages 12, 10 and 7. All of them handled it just fine. The 12-year-old girl liked it but didn't love it. My 10-year-old son thought it was fantastic. My 7-year-old daughter fell asleep and got lost, but gave it a drowsy thumbs up when it was all over.
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, language and smoking.
