Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny first reactions: what people are saying

While most movie fans have to wait until June 30 to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the movie actually had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on Thursday, May 18. With many critics in attendance, the first reactions to the final Indiana Jones movie starring Harrison Ford have started to hit the internet.

The first three Indiana Jones movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade) are pretty much all beloved, but the fourth entry released in 2008, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, left a sour taste in fans' mouths. Many are hoping that Dial of Destiny can send Indy off on a much better note.

The movie sees Ford don the fedora once again as Indiana Jones in a story set in the 1960s that sees him team up with his goddaughter (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) in search of the mysterious Dial of Destiny in order to prevent it from falling into the hands of the ambitious former Nazi Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen). Boyd Holbrook, Toby Jones, Antonio Banderas, Thomas Kretschmann and John Rhys-Davies, reprising his role as Sallah, co-star.

Dial of Destiny is also the first Indiana Jones movie not to be directed by Steven Spielberg, this time seeing James Mangold (Logan, Ford v Ferrari) in charge of things. Though the third most iconic member of the franchise, John Williams, is back to provide the score.

So, what are people saying about the movie?

First reactions seem pretty positive, with Total Film, a sister publication to What to Watch, calling the movie "a terrific thrill ride" and Variety Awards editor Clayton Davis proclaiming it as "redemption" for the franchise. Plus, one reviewer calling the movie an "instant classic."

One critic, Eric Kohn of IndieWire, said that the movie has "big The Force Awakens energy," seemingly meant as a back-handed compliment suggesting the movie will be enjoyed, though it does not tread new ground for a much-loved franchise. Kohn's IndieWire colleague, David Ehrich, didn’t offer any real opinion, though had some fun with this tweet: 

Then there's the Irish Times, which didn't hold anything back when it called the latest Indiana Jones movie, "pure hokum":

So it seems that feelings on the movie may be a little mixed. At the very least, the Cannes crowd gave Harrison Ford and company a nice applause, reportedly lasting six minutes and, as we can see, bringing tears to the actor's eyes. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, WTW's No. 3 most anticipated blockbuster movie of 2023, premieres on June 28 in the UK and June 30 in the US. Also, you'll soon be able to watch all four previous Indiana Jones movies on Disney Plus.