Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has finally swung into theaters, proving once and for all that the early, lukewarm-at-best critical reactions were maybe 50 percent accurate. Indeed, it’s no Raiders of the Lost Ark by any stretch of the imagination (and let’s face it, it was never going to be), and while it could have done a better job of nailing that sense of finality for the titular hero, Dial of Destiny remains a worthy and thematically intriguing addition to the beloved franchise.
One thing is for sure; Dial of Destiny did a pretty good job at balancing the old with the new with respect to the film’s attention to the idea of time. With that pulpy opener and heartwarming cameos mixed in with the next generation of Indiana Jones characters in a fast-advancing world, there’s a lot to like about Indy’s swansong.
But not every new piece is a cut-and-dry positive for everyone, and if you’re familiar with the internet and have seen Dial of Destiny, you can probably imagine who’s taking the heat, as it were, now that the public is checking out the film.
Indeed, it seems like Phoebe Waller-Bridge‘s Helena Shaw isn’t quite hitting the right notes for everyone at the moment, with some people accusing the actress of simply bringing Fleabag energy to a film that has no place for it, and suggesting that while Sean Connery’s turn in The Last Crusade will make most co-stars lackluster by comparison, Helena could have been much better.
Others took the opportunity to defend the character, pointing out that the women of Indiana Jones have always boasted a contentious edge, and especially considering the context of this entry in particular, it’s no surprise that such an ethos came to a palpable front.
Personally, I’d say Waller-Bridge did a great job with the character, and would even go as far as to say that she’s an intentionally hard pill to swallow. Dial of Destiny is largely about a hero trying to adapt to a world that’s rapidly outgrowing him, and Helena represents that in a particularly in-your-face way, all while ultimately taking lessons from her well-traveled godfather to complete a noteworthy character arc whilst highlighting the fact that new doesn’t necessarily mean wholly superior. Indeed, Dial of Destiny is a thinker, and Helena makes for quite the mechanism.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is now playing in theaters.