@TravMoody
ScreenX is a tricky format. To the casual moviegoer it seems as if the 270-degree panoramic view isn’t adding a whole lot to the experience, seeing how 99.5% of the action is front and center. But it’s about the feel. Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny is my surprise movie hit of the summer (chiefly due to how shitty the early word was about the film; more on that later), and ScreenX isn’t a bad way to experience all of the thrills.
Based on the great — or make that startling reaction — I’ve experienced twice watching the 4DX trailer for Indy 5, I was shocked that the CJ 4DPLEX company would opt to screen the long-awaited Indiana Jones sequel in ScreenX instead. Now, having watched the panoramic motion-theater presentation on Wednesday night, I can understand why with a “but”. The Dial of Destiny has a surplus of exotic locales you’d expect from an Indy movie, and capturing that on three screens is better than one. I’m assuming other critics, “influencers” and ScreenRant guests felt the same — just ever so subtly. Of course, with 4DX your seats crash and burn, air is shot to your ears and ankles and there are weird smells whenever you’re somewhere.. exotic. But, having experienced some heavy motion with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and The Flash, I had no issue sitting comfortably in a theater for 2-plus hours this time.
The most memorable ScreenX scenes, however, were moments where I — or Dr. Henry Walton Jones Jr., to be more apropos — felt the most closed in. Cheeky scenes of Indy taking the subway (the train, not the sandwich) or finding himself traversing a suffocating ancient ruin tunnel worked well within the triple-screen format. Like most ScreenX flicks, the side panels aren’t utilized for maybe 40-50% of the duration. But there is a lovely moment when Indiana and Helena (the absolutely terrific Phoebe Waller-Bridge, an absolute scene-stealer) arrive under a splendidly shot, gorgeous bridge landscape. ScreenX really captures this moment profoundly and many more time-lapsing moments well, especially with the abundant number of chase scenes, particular one menacing 3-wheeler wild ride(!), throughout Tangier and other numerous epic lands.
This is a James Mangold (Logan, 3:10 to Yuma) film, through and through, but definitely one more soaked with nostalgia. He clearly knew that following a legend such as Steven Spielberg would be a dangerous whip to swing from, so Mangold carefully curates each shot as an ode to the past within his own auteur sensibilities. To some critics, there’s little risk in that, which I get — but are you really set out to do an Indy legacy film fifteen years after the last (and mostly forgettable) sequel to change the dial (ah-ha!) or to recapture the essence of what made these films to enjoyably memorable in the first place? Kudos to Mangold for even giving this job a thought, and more props for coming close to the epic original trilogy. Even if this is, indeed, the fourth best Indy film, The Dial of Destiny absolutely fits within the confines of what made the o.g.’s so special in the first place.
Harrison Ford is outstanding, a true legend who doesn’t “mail in” his final performance as one of cinema’s most iconic characters. He’s still naturally stoic and gruffly handsome, even in all the digitized foundtain of youth CG. Don’t worry– there’s still plenty of “old Indy” with a slew of “aching back, bones are breaking” jokes that Ford banters with his co-stars as well as an elderly Indy could. It’s amazing that we got this type of performance from Ford at this stage of his career — the man is 80! Along with bringing back John Williams for the score, this is about as good an Indiana Jones sequel you’re going to get.
As far as format, it’s more of a debate here between ScreenX and 4DX than whether you should see Indy 5 in a premium format. At least in 2023 — a year where most folks have big screen TV’s and surround sounds powerful enough to enjoy a movie in the comforts of our own homes (with much cheaper popcorn and soda) — you should always see movies in premium formats, and the enhanced storytelling of ScreenX is a format you should chose if you’re not up for a little bump ‘n run of the fourth dimension, but still want some added oomph to the immersion.
Movie = 4/5
ScreenX = 3.5/5
-Travis Moody
Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Studios’ Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny takes off in theaters nationwide today.