Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

It is 1969. Twelve years after his last adventure, Indiana Jones is retiring from teaching and mourning personal tragedies (omitted here to avoid spoilers). But he may have one more adventure in him, like it or not . . . a figure from his past, a powerful artifact, and a Nazi intent on changing the world (via unusual means) will make for interesting times. What, exactly, is the destiny of Indiana Jones?

The fifth (and supposedly final) installment of the franchise has cool components but mixes them in a way I found unsatisfying. Like the other movies, this one had long (sometimes over-long) action sequences, cool archaeological exploration, and high stakes. But uneven plot development, too many threads, some bizarre elements, and a long run time diminished this for me.

Rating: C+

P.S. Having seen four of the five films in the past week, here is how I would rank each in the franchise:

1. The Last Crusade

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark

3. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 

4. The Dial of Destiny

5. The Temple of Doom