MOVIE NEWS – Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny seems to have more than lived up to expectations at its first Cannes audience meeting, much to the delight of Harrison Ford. (WARNING! This article may contain minor spoilers!)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny had its world premiere yesterday in front of the Cannes audience. The first reactions have already hit the internet. Although there’s still over a month to go before the general public can see Harrison Ford bring Indy’s story to a close, initial reactions suggest it will be well worth the wait.

Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline had words of praise for Ford’s final outing in Indy. She said that James Mangold manages to keep the action scenes from becoming so long that they become boring.

And the film evokes the atmosphere of good old Indy adventures while taking full advantage of modern technology.

James Mottram of the Radio Times notes that, as many expected, there are Easter eggs in this belated adventure. But not so many that the film relies entirely on nostalgia. However, as in many of Indy’s adventures, there are some out-of-this-world events in the final act.

According to Games Radar, it’s worth noting that despite the action and spectacle, what is at the heart of the film is Ford himself as Indiana Jones. As a character ageing on screen, it seems that, unlike some late arrivals, The Dial of Destiny is a film that really needed to be made. They said:

“Ford has shown he’s a dab hand at playing the curmudgeon, so it seems apt that Mangold and his co-writers should steer the character in this direction. By the end, though, you’ll have a smile on your face, especially when it comes to the final shot: an elegant tip of the hat to one of cinema’s greatest heroes.”

Harrison Ford receives an honorary Palme d’Or at the premiere

Just before the screening of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny began, star Harrison Ford was greeted with a surprise presentation of an honorary Palme d’Or. Although visibly emotional about the award, Ford was humbled to receive it. He thanked the audience who have followed him throughout his career. Afterwards, he noted that he had a film to present.

So the first reactions to The Dial of Destiny were quite positive. It seems that Ford himself had a very memorable time in Cannes. Regardless of how the film performs when it hits cinemas at the end of June. All that said, despite landing in one of the busiest summer schedules of the last four years, Indy’s Swan Song looks set to be one of the year’s hits.

Source: Deadline, Radio Times, Games Radar

The Cannes Film Festival proclaims Harrison Ford as “one of the greatest stars in cinema” #IndianaJones #Cannes2023 pic.twitter.com/542B9qNIdu

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 18, 2023