The public opinion surrounding the quality of the Indiana Jones saga has always oscillated between undying love and sacrilegious tripe. Outside of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK – revered universally – there’s a range of diverse opinions on the others, with 2008’s KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL taking the most flack.
After the overwhelmingly negative response to Crystal Skull, Spielberg has handed over the directorial reins to James Mangold for 2023’s INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY. Fresh off the back of the critically acclaimed FORD V FERRARI and beloved superhero flick Logan, Mangold seemed a great choice. While mileage has varied over the years with new directors taking control of projects, there are instances where this has worked. The MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise has stayed fresh and interesting throughout Ethan Hunt’s 24-year career, with different directors imprinting their style and formats onto the franchise.
But there’s always a risk of franchises becoming stale. If McQuarrie continues directing the next bunch of entries, we could also find this happening with M.I., and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently floundering in public and critical perception. In part through Disney’s myopic view of what cookie-cutter films they believe audiences want, while their most beloved and best films are the responsibility of auteurs Coogler and Gunn, rather than just the ‘yes men’ of Reed and Watts.
This review was posted on December 4th 2023. Full review linked below.
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