REVIEW: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Indiana Jones.

In the world of movies, that name means so many things. Adventure! History! Stunts! Rare artifacts! Skeletons and ghosts! Creepy creatures! And (unfortunately for Indy, who hates them) ... snakes!

The first movie, 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, is still popular four decades later!

We had a chance to check out the new Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Older, sort of wiser

In Destiny, we see a very different Indiana Jones.

The original films were set in the 1930s. But this film is set in 1969. The Moon landing has just happened and Indy is a university professor who is about to retire. That is, until he gets a surprise visit from his goddaughter, Helena Shaw.

Many years ago, Helena's father, Basil, worked with Indiana. They searched the world for artifacts, trying to solve ancient mysteries. Basil became obsessed with one artifact in particular: the Antikythera. Invented by Greek mathematician Archimedes in 3rd century BC, Basil always believed that this device allowed people to travel through time. He just couldn't prove it before he died.

Helena isn't so sure her dad was right, but she knows that such a thing would be worth a lot of money and wants to sell it. She also knows that Indy knows where the Antikythera is.

Unfortunately, she and Indy will have to escape the scientist Jurgen Voller, who has also been tracking the artifact. Just like her father, Voller believes in the Antikythera's power. Only he wants to use it to change history!

Chases and clues

This movie is all about Indiana getting a chance to go on one big last adventure. We see many faces from the original films, including Marion Ravenwood and Sallah, who were main characters in Raiders. We also get amazing chase scenes, including on horseback, over rooftops, into shipwrecks, across train cars, and in old propeller planes through mystical openings in time!

There are all sorts of clues and puzzles, secret traps and surprises. It is classic Indiana Jones.

But not everything about the movie is the same as the original. Helena is a stronger female character than we've ever seen in an Indy film—she is resourceful, brilliant, and daring. She's a little suspicious at times, too. The best moments in the movie are about watching her and Indiana learn to trust each other.

This film is a great piece of the iconic franchise. Watch the trailer below!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is open in theatres now.

In addition, OWLconnected is taking a break for the Canada Day long weekend, but we will be back with more stories on Tuesday, July 4. Enjoy the weekend, everyone!