I am glad I don't take any of the Disney / LucasFilm hating YouTubers opinions and videos seriously and can use my own mind to form an opinion.
This movie is literally getting torched everywhere by serial complainers crying "woke" and every other buzzword, and I left the theater thinking this may be my favorite movie of the entire franchise.
We went on $5 movie night at our local theater, just like we did 2 weeks ago for the New Transformers (which we also really liked).
This movie had a different feel than the previous 4, but in a good way. I will be first in line to buy a physical copy when it comes out on Blu-ray, so I can watch it again in our own theater room.
Just the right amount of nostalgia, like the new Star Wars films. Also my favorites of the bunch, then the prequels, then the original three.
The ending of Indy 5 was unexpected as I knew nothing going in, and I'm not going to post any spoilers.
I thought it was good too but only the fourth best in the franchise for me. Crystal Skull of course being 5th!
MikeW - I found myself smiling from beginning to end. Went by fast for a 2.5 hour movie. I thought it was an amazing end to the franchise.
We saw it a few weeks ago and really liked it as well. It was definitely better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but for my money was a bit behind Last Crusade (mostly because of Connery). I did feel that the plot was unnecessarily long (the entire sequence on the boat with Antonio Banderas was completely superfluous), but it kept my attention throughout. The de-aging CGI, which was being bashed in early screenings, was actually excellent.
I do wish we got some more development of the "chasers" and even a bit more on Mads Mickelson's character (probably the most formidable villain in the entire franchise). I also felt that the Teddy character was super-derivative (Short Round) and there were far too many clichés that made many scenes very predictable.
However, I am a bit surprised that the movie isn't doing better at the box office, because it is a fun, exciting, and nostalgic romp.
Russell, there are so many people who rely on YouTubers and TikTok influencers for how to think. They are literally destroying this movie with every review.
A lot is just backlash from the Disney / DeSantis feud. A lot of people aligned with a certain political agenda are still "boycotting" anything Disney or companies under the Disney umbrella.
I saw Dial of Destiny myself last weekend, and thought it was a fun film and decent conclusion to the franchise. That said, it had a lot of the negatives that have crept into modern films, such as an overly long runtime due to too much filler and insertion of current day ideas that have no place in the world of the film. Without Spielberg at the helm, it had a different feel than the others, and while it was better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, I'd probably opt for any of the original trilogy were I in the mood for an Indy flick.
As for why it's bombing so hard, I think it boils down to a combination of four main factors...
1. There are a ton of big budget franchise films in the release calendar, and viewers are more likely to prioritize the latest entry in an active film series over a legacy sequel to a legacy sequel.
2. Disappointment in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull may have decreased enthusiasm for another Indy movie, especially when neither Spielberg nor Lucas were involved creatively for it.
3. Disney's treatment of Star Wars likewise could have scared people off as they may have been expecting something similar to be done with Indy, and unfortunately the trailers did point to some of that being a possibility.
4. Early reviews from the Cannes premiere were not good and even more recent audience reception is pretty mixed, so it's not the sort of film someone is likely to pick at random (especially those less familiar with Harrison Ford).
Saw it. Loved it. Loved the throwback feel to the original 3 films (over-the-top punching sounds effects, a creepy animal scene, a red dot traveling over a map, a mystical Macguffin with otherworldly powers, Indy constantly getting his ass whipped, Salah!!!!, the Wilhelm Scream, etc). I also loved that they leaned heavily into Indy’s age rather than shy away from it. Most of all, I found myself hit square in the gut with a baseball bat of unexpected emotion, not once but twice. It didn’t feel contrived either. It felt earned and honest IMO. Those who have seen the film know of what I speak. I’m glad Harrison got to don the Fedora one last time and help wash out the bitter after taste of Crystal Skull.
I really, really, really wanted to like Dial of Destiny, but sadly, it was my least favorite of the bunch. It just felt like the film was taking itself a bit too seriously and as bad as Crystal Skull and even Temple of Doom got, at least those were "fun".
I'm glad Harrison Ford got to give the character the send-off that he wanted, but it was just depressing watching him go through all this at his age. As expected, a lot of practical effects that were great in the original trilogy have been cast aside in favor of CGI.
And worst, it commits the greatest sin of all by not opening with the Paramount logo fading into a mountain!
I fully expected the Paramount logo gag at the beginning, but everything else was great.
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I liked it too. The opening is like the 1990s Indy movie we never got and action pieces fun too. Never got hate for Waller-Bridge, I thought she did a fine job and good action. Yeah, the climax wild but really, which one isn't for this series?
Tellingly, nine out of ten friends of mine at various film forums also enjoyed it so a shame being more focused on huge budget and such when it works better than I thought it would as a fitting finale for the series.