Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

1944 is the best year in Dial of Destiny, an awkward thing for a movie set mostly in 1969 to admit. The opening, with a de-aged Harrison Ford fighting his way across a moving train, is pure classic Indy. The rest of its 154 minutes stacks chases: a horse through a parade, a tiny-car scramble through narrow streets, a dive to an old wreck. Stacked together, they feel like the same chase in different hats. Ford is still great, grumpy and worn down in a way that feels honest. Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays Helena as a fast-talking hustler, and she’s fun, though the script keeps making her lecture him. Mads Mikkelsen is a cold, effective villain. Antonio Banderas shows up long enough to wave. Teddy, the kid sidekick, is a weak copy of an old one. It made $384 million worldwide on a reported $419M. A 5.0 because Ford deserved a tighter last ride. $554.62 says you dig an old leather jacket out of the closet after this and wear it to the grocery store like it’s an expedition.

What works: Harrison Ford brings real weariness and heart, and the opening train sequence is the most fun the series has been in years.

What doesn’t: At 154 minutes it piles on chase after chase with little variety, and Antonio Banderas and John Rhys-Davies are barely used.

Who it’s for: Longtime Indy fans who want one more adventure with Ford and can forgive a saggy middle.