Reviews from an early screening of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny have resulted in an unexpectedly low Rotten Tomatoes score...
Indiana Jones 5 will be Harrison Ford's final run as the iconic action hero and the "final installment" of the 40-year-old franchise, according to Disney itself. Dial of Destiny, which clocks in at a lengthy two hours and 22 minutes, has become Lucasfilm’s most expensive movie ever, costing more to make than any of the films in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
In the months leading up to Indy 5's release, director James Mangold has defended the sequel against online trolls who claimed that its test screenings have been a "disaster." Mangold denied that such screenings even happened and later shut down other rumors attempting to rile up controversy at the end of 2022.
Indy 5 Hits Franchise Low on Rotten Tomatoes
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was screened in France at the Cannes Film Festival.
Following the movie’s debut, it didn’t take long for reviews to make their way online. And the consensus: Decidedly mixed. After eight reviews, the Rotten Tomatoes score for Indiana Jones 5 currently sits squarely at a 52% critic approval score, which, for now, has earned it the unenviable label of “rotten.”
As a whole, the early reviews for Indiana Jones 5 are extremely mixed. Some praised it as a fitting conclusion to the adventure saga that captures the spirit of Steven Spielberg's original four movies while others tore into the movie while others tore it apart as joyless and devoid of a soul.
The biggest criticisms unsurprisingly blame a weak script that doesn't allow for the story to take enough risks, instead relying too heavily on gimmicky fan service.
On a more uplifting front, there was plenty of praise for John Williams' original score and Harrison Ford's final performance as Dr. Jones, with some going as far as to say the actor carries Dial of Destiny throughout.
52% is also the lowest ever for the series, with the other entries’ scores listed below:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark: 93%
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: 76%
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: 84%
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: 77%
Could Trouble Be on the Horizon for Dr. Jones?
For starters, it’s fortunate that Dial of Destiny is meant to be the final movie in the Indiana Jones franchise, as its reception won’t pave the way for future installments.
In fact, a Disney+ show that was in development and intended to be set in the world of films was canned by the streamer.
Indeed, this is truly meant to serve as Indy’s final adventure. Harrison Ford is 80, and while he appears quite spry for an octogenarian, he reportedly has no desire to don the fedora and leather jacket again.
So, if the box office and reviews aren’t where Disney might want them to be when all is said and done, that’s okay. And the movie hasn’t even been widely released as of yet. It’s quite probable that once Indy 5 opens in June, it’ll make a considerable splash with fans both old and new as they take in one last ride with the legendary Dr. Jones.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters on June 30.
