Indy’s last hurrah…and it’s about time.

While it had its moments, let’s face it, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was pretty pointless. Admittedly, the original Indiana Jones trilogy was far from perfect (thanks Temple of Doom), however, when Indy and his dad rode off into the desert at the end of Last Crusade, that felt about as far as this series could realistically go.

Yet, Hollywood being Hollywood, it always felt inevitable that someday, somehow Dr Henry Jones Jr would be coaxed out of retirement for one last crack of the bullwhip. Fingers were cross that the eventual fourth instalment in the series could at least recapture some of that classic Indy magic, however, despite showing promise, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a huge disappointment, killing any talk of further franchise instalments dead as it went. That is, until now.

For here we are, a full fifteen years since the last Indiana Jones instalment and staring at Harrison Ford’s fifth (and hopefully last) Indy adventure. But is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny really the retirement party Dr Jones deserves, or is it yet another tired attempt at rolling back the years?

Adrift in a new era and facing retirement, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) wrestles with the notion of fitting into a world that has long outgrown him. However, as the tentacles of an all-too-familiar evil return in the form of an old rival, Indy must don his hat and whip one more time to ensure a powerful ancient artifact doesn't fall into the wrong hands and alter the course of history forever.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull left such a sour taste in the mouth that the only way for any future Indy instalment really was up. As a bare minimum requirement, Dial of Destiny clears this rather low hurdle with ease, however, you’d be well advised to dampen any expectations that it is anywhere near Lost Ark or Last Crusade’s level.

Sitting comfortably in mid-table in the Indiana Jones rankings, Dial of Destiny is far from the blockbuster perfection of the first and third instalments in this franchise, yet it’s hard to deny just how solidly fun it is.

As one might expect, this fifth Indiana Jones instalment comes doused in a level of nostalgia that, unashamed though it may be, will be difficult to resist for anyone with an emotional attachment to the original trilogy. From the impressive amount of Nazi punching to the various Easter eggs, call-backs, and cameos that pepper the story, Dial of Destiny is a treasure trove of Indy nostalgia that, while undoubtedly heavy handed at times, carries the film surprisingly far.

More than any other film franchise on this planet, Indiana Jones has always been keenly attuned to the pratfalls of history and chasing dangerous trinkets of the past for your own personal gain, and that very much continues here. So, while it certainly leans in heavily on nostalgia throughout, Dial of Destiny doesn’t shy away from cautioning about its dangers.

Time is everything to this film. It’s at the very heart of the plot that revolves around the most MacGuffiny MacGuffin this franchise has ever MacGuffined, while the past, future, and present all play a vital role in where Indiana Jones’ is as a character. As a man whose adventuring heyday has long since passed, Dr Jones is an old man out of time, yet the film, despite feeling like a ‘Best Of’ compilation of Indiana Jones hits at times, does well to point out the clear issues with living in the past.

Whatever the future holds for this franchise, this will surely be Harrison Ford’s last ride with his iconic character, so it all feels rather fitting that time plays such a huge part in it. You can practically feel the weight of history pressing down on Dial of Destiny’s shoulders, however, while the film’s temporal themes work well, the mechanics of the timey-wimey plot fall flat.

For two-thirds of the film, things bubble along nicely, as Indy and co head across the world on a classic Indiana Jones race against time adventure, yet, as we enter the third act, things hit the buffers. Without delving into spoilers, the narrative choices with Dial of Destiny’s conclusion dive head-first into the kind of full-blown science fiction territory this franchise usually only skirts around.

Sure, from face-melting angels to immortality-imbuing holy grails via heart-ripping death cults, the first three instalments in the franchise flirted with the mystical, however, Dial of Destiny, much like Crystal Skull before it, steps over that line completely. In upping the budget, broadening the action, and over-indulging in the fantastical, something gets lost along the way, and while the sentiment behind Dial of Destiny’s time-bending elements has merit, the execution is way off.

Further to this, boasting an eye-watering $300 million and clocking in at a whopping 154 minutes long, Dial of Destiny is far too bloated for its own good. To counterbalance this, James Mangold grounds the story and injects a fair amount of heart into what is, at times, an unwieldy, CGI-laden beast; however, while the director largely succeeds, as the plot unravels, he starts to lose the thread, as the film gives in to the kind of overblown silliness that undid Crystal Skull.

That said, when Mangold nails it, he nails it. Clearly a fan at heart, the director just gets Indiana Jones, and while it would’ve been fantastic to have seen Steven Spielberg back behind the camera, Mangold does a fine job in emulating his legendary predecessor, digging into the man, the hero, the icon remarkably well. As with Logan, Mangold is clearly more at ease with quiet, contemplative character work than the big, bombastic action, as he gets to the core of an aging Indy incredibly well, helped along by the man who has so thoroughly embodied this character for over four decades.

Honestly, it’s hard not to be made up for Harrison Ford right now. Having (largely) successfully revisited his three most iconic roles over the last few years, the man, despite his advancing years, is clearly having the time of his life and embracing the unique opportunity to give them all a fitting send-off.

Sure, it can be argued that truly iconic characters don’t necessarily need send-offs, however, it’s hard to argue against how Indiana Jones’ farewell is handled. Ably supported by Toby Jones and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and with a disposable and suitably despicable Nazi in the shape of Mads Mikkelsen opposite him, Harrison Ford plays a grizzled, wearily heroic Indy perfectly, ensuring that his last appearance as the iconic archaeologist leaves a far better taste in the mouth than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ever did.

While it certainly has its issues, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny makes for a perfectly fine (hopefully) final instalment in the timeless franchise. Not mind-blowing, just fine. A very solid, no frills Indiana Jones adventure, Dial of Destiny knows precisely what it needs to do and gets it done. Although bloated and hindered by a third act that falls off significantly, the film is a blast and a touching farewell for an iconic character that has meant so much to so many for so long.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is in cinemas now.