The schedule of 2023 new movie releases includes a number of highly anticipated titles, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is certainly one of them. Harrison Ford’s final cinematic outing as Dr. Jones is set to grace movie theaters in a little over a month now. However, a number of people were able to see it last week during a screening at the Cannes Film Festival. Reviews have subsequently hit the web, and people seem mixed on the Ford-led film. Of course, said reactions have been aggregated by Rotten Tomatoes, and they haven't been great for the blockbuster's score.
Walt Disney Studios and Lucasfilm’s decision to lift the review embargo for Indy 5 so early indicated that they felt good about the movie. Even Harrison Ford himself has been “confident” that it’ll strike a chord with audiences. But at present, the movie is off to a lackluster start on Rotten Tomatoes. James Mangold’s latest directorial effort has a 52% critic rating on the site, as of this writing. That number is derived from the 31 reviews that have been gathered thus far.
It’s probably safe to assume that this is far from what the House of Mouse envisioned when it decided to screen the movie. Of course, even major, successful studios can have a miscalculation or two. The buzz surrounding the movie still appears to be generally high at this point, yet one has to wonder how this first round of reviews might impact prospective viewers. Modern moviegoers do put a lot of stock into the numbers on RT, meaning it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that they could negatively impact its box office run.
We can’t get too ahead of ourselves, though, as it’s still very early. There’s plenty of time for the action flick to bounce back on the site, as hundreds of reviews are sure to be submitted before it’s all said and done. You also have to consider the audience rating, which can vastly differ from the critics’ in some cases. I’d honestly say, based on my experiences, that the common moviegoer sometimes considers a fellow general audience member’s take more than a pundit’s.
Negative reviews aside, the film still looks like a fun ride. The Dial of Destiny trailer teases a thrilling send-off for the beloved archaeologist, one that sees him team up with his reckless goddaughter to take on a former Nazi scientist. Indiana Jones 5 also touts a great cast, as Harrison Ford is joined by the likes of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas and more.
Indiana Jones 5: Release Date, Cast And Other Things We Know So Far
For several years now, Harrison Ford has been keen on closing out the saga of Henry Jones Jr., who he’s become synonymous with. The seasoned star has seemingly shown the same level of commitment he’s always given to the role. Despite being older, he still performed his share of stunts and even went shirtless at the age of 80 for one scene. Admirers surely appreciate his work as evidenced by the standing ovation they gave him at Cannes. Ford even got emotional over the warm reception.
Fans may be disappointed that things don’t look so good for the motion picture as far as Rotten Tomatoes is concerned. Still, when it comes down to it, what’s most important is whether you enjoyed the feature film yourself. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up digging it more than others.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny opens in theaters on June 30 and, ahead of the premiere, you can stream the first four flicks using a Disney+ subscription.
