Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30th, 2023)

[Wor-Gar]

Maybe the bad guy from Logan should have been one of the soldiers on the plane to get impaled by a ballista at the very least.

I was totally expecting him to go out that way -- just as he's about to shoot ol' Indy.

But nope...


Gruesome demises are as much "Indiana Jones" as the rollicking adventure, the clever ancient traps and the Big Action set pieces.

 

[dukefett]

Curious how many people watched this movie without watching any trailers or has a general ideas of the story. Basically how many of you knew nothing about this this show except Indiana Jones was in it?

I went in seeing very little of the trailers, I knew PWB and Mads were in it, but that's basically it. I liked it enough, but didn't love it. I actually like Crystal Skull and may like that one more overall. The first sequence was great and enjoyed that. One weird thing for me was the civilian and friend deaths that happened in the movie, it reminded me more of a Bond film with that than Indiana Jones and didn't sit well with me for some reason. It wasn't as funny as it should be and was too heavy in those scenes, but I think they handled Mutt well in a heavy scene.

I liked the third act, but agree with others in that the villain deaths weren't satisfying at all. They were real pieces of garbage, I suppose the drowning is a painful death but figured the big guy would get some more ridiculous death. The chases went on too long too IMO, and the ex-fiance added nothing but time to a long movie. The film overall was definitely missing Spielberg's touch throughout.

 

[Khev]

Honestly the most brutal death in the movie was the poor CIA guy hopping around on crutches. Indy absolutely obliterated him, lol.

 

[Wor-Gar]

It wasn't as funny as it should be

I have to disagree here. I loved that it wasn't 'funny' and some of the deliberate silliness found in other adventures was welcomingly gone.

 

[Johnny Utah]

I never found the movies to be funny, moreso the humour found in Indy's swagger, little things in Harrison's performance.

 

[Indiana Fett]

I have to disagree here. I loved that it wasn't 'funny' and some of the deliberate silliness found in other adventures was welcomingly gone.

This

 

[Khev]

Poor Indy could never again repeat his fortune in the Cairo Swordsman duel.

1. Raiders - Swordsman swings his blade around, Indy draws his pistol and blows him away
2. TOD - TWO swordsman swing their blades around, Indy sees he has no pistol so has to crack his whip to defeat them*
3. DOD - Indy cracks his whip to keep attackers at bay and they ALL draw pistols almost turning HIM into the Cairo swordsman

*And this bit had me thinking that TOD was a sequel and not a prequel to Raiders for years since Ford plays it as if he's thinking back to Cairo when he casually reaches for his gun

 

[dukefett]

I never found the movies to be funny, moreso the humour found in Indy's swagger, little things in Harrison's performance.

I mean that's exactly what's missing and the quote in the screen shot was a funny little bit. I didn't mean like Guardians of the Galaxy/MCU funny.

 

[davejames]

This more than anything. A big roaring fight with multiple complications feels like something they forgot about... or Ford simply could not do believably. Hence why the little kid took out the Big Thug (one of my prime disappointments).

It also lacked the usual gruesome deaths. Just Voller's remains after the fact was the nastiest "death".

I also agree anything over 2 hrs 9 minutes is too long for most action/adventure movies.


But at least we have the Opening... and that awesome 30 second fight on the motorcycle!

I'm sure the rickshaw chase was intended to be that big memorable action sequence (given it went on so damn long), but it didn’t exactly get the blood pumping, and basically felt like a redo of the jeep chase from Crystal Skull.

Meanwhile the original movies have, what, at least 6 great action sequences each? And Raiders probably more than that.

 

[Raiders March]

This more than anything. A big roaring fight with multiple complications feels like something they forgot about... or Ford simply could not do believably. Hence why the little kid took out the Big Thug (one of my prime disappointments).

It also lacked the usual gruesome deaths. Just Voller's remains after the fact was the nastiest "death".

I also agree anything over 2 hrs 9 minutes is too long for most action/adventure movies.


But at least we have the Opening... and that awesome 30 second fight on the motorcycle!

I think indys colleagues gunned down in cold blood more than made up for that. Nasty but in a fresh new way for the films

 

[The Jerker]

I think indys colleagues gunned down in cold blood more than made up for that. Nasty but in a fresh new way for the films

Is it wrong that I was smiling through this part?

 

[choombaz]

Meanwhile the original movies have, what, at least 6 great action sequences each? And Raiders probably more than that.

You make me want to rank all of the Indy action scenes. I don’t think anything could top the truck chase in Raiders.

Edit:

Couldn’t help myself (as usual). I’m sure I have missed some, especially DOD, only one viewing. I didn’t include really brief ones like the guard that Indy whips and gets caught in the fan in TOD (love that scene especially the way Spielberg hid the guard in the wall mural) or the short boat fight with Ford just after the River Phoenix opening in TLC. I’m sure I will change my mind in 5 minutes.

Truck chase ROTLA
Raven bar fight ROTLA
Escape from the temple opening ROTLA
Mechanic fight ROTLA
Cairo marketplace / swordsman ROTLA
Mine cart chase TOD
Club Obi-Wan opening TOD
Tank chase TLC
Rope bridge TOD
Voodoo doll and Escape from the mine TOD
Motorcycle castle escape TLC
Ahh Venice boat chase TLC
Dogfight TLC
Motorcycle chase with the Soviets KOCS
Train escape DOD
Circus train chase opening TLC
Rickshaw chase DOD
Finale DOD
Warehouse escape KOCS
Jungle chase KOCS
Boat fight DOD
NYC horse chase DOD

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think indys colleagues gunned down in cold blood more than made up for that. Nasty but in a fresh new way for the films

Nothing makes up for gruesome deaths -- Forrestal, Satipo, Barranca, Ratty Nepalese, Mechanic, Toht, Dietrick, Belloq, Mola Ram, Chief Guard, Donovan, Vogel, even Dovchenko and Spalko.

Taking out 'you know who' was good though.

 

[davejames]

You make me want to rank all of the Indy action scenes. I don’t think anything could top the truck chase in Raiders.

Yup that's the clear winner, although I think the TLC tank chase is a close second. And then maybe the Club Obi-Wan fight or Indy fighting those guys in the market in Raiders...

Just so many damn good ones.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yup that's the clear winner, although I think the TLC tank chase is a close second. And then maybe the Club Obi-Wan fight or Indy fighting those guys in the market in Raiders...

Just so many damn good ones.

2nd best: fight with Mechanic at the Wing

How did you guys miss that one?

 

[Khev]

Hey Wor-Gar thanks for sending me this pic of your new home theater room, it looks amazing!

 

[Felinx]

I can't even remember how or where Voller died in DoD - yikes. Something to remember for the second viewing I guess.

And I didn't believe for a second that death in the underwater pipe involving the handcuffs and Teddy - absurd, and yes a waste of a big-bad.

And some of the basis of the Tuk-tuk/Morocco chase scene I couldn't understand - it seemed like a Moroccan mobster guy was PWB's ex or something, and they were chasing her and by extension Indy sort of half-heartedly, even though the mobster's men were seemingly being killed one by one? It is ultimately about chasing Voller, but that mobster boyfriend aspect seemed to be responsible for some unnecessary length.

 

[Felinx]

2nd best: fight with Mechanic at the Wing

How did you guys miss that one?

The Raven bar fight is up there too - guns, fists, whisky and fire. "Shoot them both" to me is up there with the swordsman shooting as a classic funny but brutal Indy moment - brilliant how the giant Sherpa and Indy work together to turn the pistol on the German agent who's about to machine gun them.

And Toht's glee at seeing the medallion, only to burn his hand and have to run out to the snow squealing is such an Indy moment.

 

[Khev]

The Raven bar fight is up there too - guns, fists, whisky and fire.

Also the "gun going off but the bad guy ends up being the one shot" ended up being one of the single most copied gags in the history of cinema from that point on.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Hey Wor-Gar thanks for sending me this pic of your new home theater room, it looks amazing!

View attachment 648333

Thank you, yes, I thought that the OT deserved a backseat so I literally placed the poster behind the seats, in that way I could focus more on Rey and her incredibly diverse heritage as a super heroine. That was a real first for Star Wars. I'm so proud.