When Harrison Ford was announced to portray Indiana Jones once more, the reactions were mixed at best. While many were excited to have Indy back, others wanted a reboot. Many considered Harrison Ford too old for the role.
Summary
The movie is set in 1969, twelve years after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indiana Jones is retiring from teaching at the university. Marion (Karen Allen) has served him divorce papers and he has a drinking problem. This is when his goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) shows up. Then all hell breaks loose, which culminates in Indy being wanted for murder and having to flee. What follows is a chase around the globe, with several cameos.
Analysis
The movie starts with a flashback. The aging process is not perfect, but it works and creates the illusion of a young Indiana Jones. Helena is a difficult character, and her motivation remains foggy. Phoebe Waller-Bridge does a decent job portraying her, but the character isn’t likeable. Sometimes, she feels like a strong female character written by a misogynistic middle aged man. Her character crosses a line several times, which means her redemption feels dishonest. This is the biggest problem of the movie, as she is an integral part of the story.
Harrison Ford is perfect as usual as Indy. His portrayal is the logical continuation for the character. You can feel how a man so energetic would struggle with getting older, and yet his wit is still as sharp as ever. The action scenes never feel over the top, and you can believe that a reasonably fit 80 year old man could pull them off. Helena even addresses his physical condition at one point.
Then there is the infamous twist in the third act. Although it feels like a miss, it works and fits the storyline. After the disaster of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull, many viewers have forgotten that there was always a fantastical element to the Indiana Jones franchise.
Conclusion
The movie has received mixed reviews, but the major problem is that people watch the movie with the wrong expectations. The movie is not like the old movies, and it doesn’t aspire to be, because it shows us an aged Indiana Jones in a different time. A Harrison Ford has put it in several interviews. It shows us a beloved character in a different stage of his life. He is dealing with aging, depression and loss. If viewed like this, the movie works perfectly. It certainly is flawed, but it is a worthy final chapter for the franchise. The character we all fell in love is recognizable.
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Maria is our resident nerd and passionate about all things fantasy and science fiction. She is Spanish and grew up in Germany, which is why she is a native speaker of both languages. Becoming a fantasy writer was only logical to combine her skills and passions. In addition, she is working on her English degree and loves to play tennis and dance Salsa. She is currently writing her first novel and will mainly be covering Star Wars, Star Trek and Shadow & Bone.
