Indiana Jones fulfills his destiny

I had kind of assumed that Indiana Jones had done it all.
He had saved the world (often), stopped the Nazis, retrieved artifacts, conducted seminars and fought a burly guy atop an airplane. Was there more to do?
Apparently, He had never ridden a horse through a subway, driven a rickety cart down a stairway or stolen a wedding car. Now his fifth and final film has taken care of all of that.
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (shown here) is the sort of movie that could bring people back to theaters, where they belong. Not just young people, looking for action films, but most ages and types.
Certainly, there is action here – lots of it. “Dial” – produced by Steven Spielberg, but directed by James Mangold — starts with a flashback that feels like a long theme-park ride. Then it settles into its story … but has lots more frantic chases ahead.
That opening, set in 1944, also includes some remarkable computer-graphic de-aging that makes Harrison Ford seem middle-aged. The story then jumps ahead 25 years and lets Ford be himself – an 80-year-old who looks better than most of us did at any age.
It takes his age into account. Like the fourth film (15 years ago), there are a few verbal references. Jones retires (reluctantly) from college; he’s even shown as the crabby old guy who bursts out in his underwear, telling kids to hold down the noise.
More subtly, “Dial” no longer feels obligated to make his female companion a love interest. This one is his goddaughter … and a fellow adventurer.
That reflects a trait of the Indy films. Its women aren’t “Bond girl” damsels in distress. They’re interesting and varied. This time, the role goes to Phoebe Waller-Bridge (shown here with Ford), a brainy Brit; five of her seven Emmy nominations have come as a writer-producer.
(Admittedly, the casting requires a suspension of disbelief. Waller-Bridge, almost 5-foot-10 and rail-thin, is presented as the daughter of Toby Jones, 5-foot-5 and round. Her mother must have been a fashion model, seven feet tall and 83 pounds.)
“Dial” sticks to the standards of previous Indy films … or anything else from Steven Spielberg: No matter how dazzling the action, no matter how extreme the fantasy (should an early-teen kid be piloting a plane through a crease in time?), its quiet moments are smart and solid.
One comes when Jones is asked what he would change if he could go back in his life. The moment that follows reflects an excellent script … and an old guy who’s become a subtly excellent actor.
Then, of course, it’s back to the action. There are more odd vehicles to steal and ride, more Nazis (past and present) to stop, more movie buffs to be nudged back into theaters where they belong.