★★★★ Watched 24 Dec, 2023

After a general online backlash, I was keeping my expectations low despite the great track record of director James Mangold (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma). I managed to avoid most of the details of why people were upset and watched it with as fresh eyes as possible. And was pleasantly surprised!

I’ll say upfront it’s becoming a bit tiring as an avid movie buff to have to manage my expectations being pressured and influenced (willingly or not) by online commentary. Not even talking about the ordeal of trying to avoid major spoilers, which usually happen via thumbnail pictures on a YouTube feed. So now, I feel the need to comment on how I don’t understand this particular backlash. To me, it’s obvious this movie was lovingly put together by people who love the character and the franchise. Mangold paid respect to Spielberg in so many ways as well as the previous writers with small homages to iconic scenes or moments from previous installments. It has everything other Indy adventures had, the action, the humor, the banter, the globetrotting, and the heart. What strikes me the most is the meticulously reconstructed 60s era, including the look and feel. I haven’t done the research [yet], so I’m not sure if this was done via digital filters or if they used film cameras, lenses, and period lights to achieve the authentic look.

Harrison Ford is remarkably fit and fully present with a passion you don’t see often people his age in real life doing anything, much less their job. He is Indy and he knows it. He also lets us know how dedicated he is without ever breaking the fourth wall. There were moments of intense emotion on his face when I was wondering how much of it was part of playing Indy and how much was true Harrison’s feelings bleeding into the character. The opening act, which happens in the past with a much younger Indy (digitally rendered face) felt a bit strange at first, but by the time it ended, I was fully invested. There’s a bit of jitter here and there, but nothing overly distracting. It’s still part of the suspension of disbelief since we know there’s movie magic behind it. The rest of the cast was great as well (except Teddy who was supposed to be the new Short Round, but cannot hold a candle to him), including a few welcome returning characters in minor roles.

Apart from the length, some obvious VFX scenes, and a couple of moments that took me out of it (Indy being pressed against the tunnel ceiling on the fast-moving train), I don’t have much to complain about. The ending is genuinely emotional (especially for the original fans), but not sappy. I truly enjoyed my time with Indy to a higher degree than I did during Indy 4, which I was sure was the last one Harrison Ford would star in.

Source: Letterboxd
Info: IMDb