Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review says the film pays appropriate homage to its predecessors and its lead, nostalgically reminding us what movie magic is all about.

Be honest: the second you hear those first iconic notes of the Indiana Jones theme, you get a happy chill. Movies! Adventure! Heroes! Popcorn! Romance! Hollywood magic! They’re all combined in seven little notes. The Indiana Jones franchise is a cinematic gift we’ve been given—Hollywood at it’s finest.

The question is, does this latest and probably the last installment hold up to its (in varying degrees) classic predecessors?

It’s hard to believe that just over 40 years ago Harrison Ford first appeared on the screen as Indiana Jones, racing the Nazis to find that Lost Ark. Or that it’s been about 15 years since we last saw Indie, alongside Shia La Beouf and Kate Blanchett, attempting to find the secret behind the the Crystal Skulls.

While the four-episode franchise wanders in quality from flick to flick, the one thing that remains constant is that theme, and the sentiment it brings. I’m happy to say that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny carries that tradition forward, this time for a new generation.

The current generation may not be as thrilled with the nostalgia laden trappings and the canny nods to the past, but I certainly was.  To me, a Harrison Ford in his late 70’s (as he was when he made the film) is every bit as interesting—and perhaps even more so—as he ever was.

At this point in my life, I’m thrilled to see that a septuagenarian can still be a kick-ass action hero—he just takes a little longer these days.

Watching him race his way around the world, with a bit more deliberation, to retrieve an ancient dial that can control time travel and change the course of history, while also trying to reign in his mercurial goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge, with all traces of Fleabag left aside), is still great fun.

I found the CGI version of his younger self captivating rather than creepy. And the same goes for the work on the villainous Dr. Voller, played by Mads Mikkelsen and Toby Jones as Basil Shaw.

While director James Mangold (Ford v Ferrari, The Greatest Showman, Wolverine) could have used a heavier hand in the cutting room, he’s shown due reverence for the legacy, and carries it on with grace and excitement.

See it with your parents, kids, grandkids, friends or significant others. It’s a film that has something for everyone.

Rated PG-13

2 Hours 24 Minutes

If this Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review makes you want to jump on your horse and ride to the theater, get times and tickets on Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review says the film pays appropriate homage to its predecessors and its lead, nostalgically reminding us what movie magic is all about.