MOVIE NEWS – Early reviews of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny are in, and Rotten Tomatoes’ overall rating is that the film is not doing so well…

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny debuted with disappointing results on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie is the fifth feature film for the heroic archaeologist played by Harrison Ford, who first appeared in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Set against the backdrop of the space race, Dial of Destiny hits cinemas on 30 June. The story follows Jones, who is drawn into a brand new globetrotting adventure by his goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge).

Rotten Tomatoes has already collected the film’s first reviews ahead of the official Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny release date, thanks to its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival a month and a half earlier.

In an unprecedented move, the film’s score is a solid 50 per cent! This is the first Rotten score in the entire franchise (including the short-lived TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles). Even lower than the widely derided 2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The latter stands at 77% “verified fresh”.

Can Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny still be a good film?

There are several things to note about the Rotten Tomatoes rating. For one thing, this score is an aggregate of only 30 critical reviews. That’s not so low, but it pales in comparison to the broader field of films that have received 100 or more reviews (Crystal Skull, for example, received 308 reviews.) A flood of new reviews will arrive in mid-June that could significantly change the film’s score.

The second is perhaps even more important: although the score is the lowest of the franchise, a 50 per cent rating indicates that at least half of the critics liked the film.

The franchise is currently very divisive among audiences and critics alike. This early look at the critical reaction to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny may indicate that the film is trying something new and unexpected for the franchise.

It may not appeal to die-hard fans of the original Indiana Jones trilogy. But it may show that the film avoids merely copying the franchise formula. Familiarity is the factor that may have led to the surprising score for The Crystal Skull in 2008. Even if the film’s reputation has deteriorated considerably since the early reactions. Director James Mangold (who replaces Steven Spielberg in the director’s chair) may just have a few tricks up his sleeve. Some that he will use to achieve the opposite. Perhaps once the initial shock has worn off, the film’s popularity will gradually begin to grow.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes