Indiana Jones 5 reviews: Reactions, Rotten Tomatoes score & more

Indiana Jones 5, officially titled Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is almost upon us. Early reactions and reviews have been notably mixed following the movie’s Cannes premiere, ranging from “a waste of time” to “fans will love it.”

The fifth installment of Lucasfilm’s beloved and long-running action-adventure franchise sees Harrison Ford reprise his role as the eponymous explorer, having first grabbed his whip in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

In the upcoming flick, we see Indy’s goddaughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) recruit him for one last adventure: to recover a “dial that could change the course of history.” But he’s got competition from Mads Mikkelsen’s villainous ex-Nazi-turned-NASA-engineer, Jürgen Voller.

While Indiana Jones 5, which sees James Mangold in the director’s seat, has endured numerous delays and setbacks, the movie will finally drop in six weeks – so, here are the reactions and reviews so far, as well as the preliminary Rotten Tomatoes score.

Indiana Jones 5 reactions

Early reactions to Indiana Jones 5 have been rolling in since it enjoyed its first premiere at Cannes Film Festival on Thursday May 18, 2023, and opinions on the Harrison Ford movie are notably mixed so far. 

Among the positive reactions, Variety’s Clayton Davis wrote: “Redemption! James Mangold redeems #IndianaJones with #DialOfDestiny. A farewell to one of the greatest movie characters in cinema history. Action, laughs, charm… just everything that makes him great. Thanks Harrison Ford (and Phoebe Waller Bridge) for the ride. #Cannes2023.”

Elsewhere, Kenny @Disney+ said: “#IndianaJones: and the Dial of Destiny was good, fun and really an Indiana Jones Movie. Fans will love it. Rules are rules, I’m not allowed to post more about it. Next Premiere it is then.”

Freelance journalist Robbert Blokland added: “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is great… Phoebe and Mads are very nice, our Olivier is great as the henchman. And the over the top finale you have to see to believe.”

On the other side of the fence, IndieWire’s David Ehrlich said: “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is a waste of time,” although he did add: “As someone who has never felt a deep personal attachment to Harrison Ford, I found the tearful little speech he gave before the screening incredibly sincere and moving! I’m sure it’ll be on YouTube if it isn’t already.”

The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney wrote: “If CRYSTAL SKULL did your head in and you were hoping James Mangold would take away that ache with INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY, think again.”

Indiana Jones 5 reviews

Just like the first reactions, the early reviews for Indiana Jones 5, the Dial of Destiny, are mixed. 

In our three-star review, we said: “The fifth film in a veteran franchise is too often content to riff on former glories that mainly remind you how glorious the older films were. But a wild ending that allows Harrison Ford to go out in style just about makes Dial of Destiny worth tuning in for.”

Empire gave it four out of five stars, writing: “Indy’s final date with destiny has a barmy finale that might divide audiences – but if you join him for the ride, it feels like a fitting goodbye to cinema’s favorite grave-robber.”

The Guardian, which gave it three out of five stars, commented: “It’s the first Indiana Jones film not to be directed by Steven Spielberg – James Mangold is now at the helm – but despite that, this one has quite a bit of zip and fun and narrative ingenuity with all its MacGuffiny silliness that the last one (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) really didn’t.”

Elaborating on Ehrlich’s tweet, IndieWire said: “Not only is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny an almost complete waste of time, it’s also a belabored reminder that some relics are better left where and when they belong… The Dial of Destiny is a globe-trotting adventure movie so safe that even its 80-year-old hero never seems to be in any significant danger.”

As well as a two star rating, The Times said: “The good news is that it’s not as poor as Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The bad news is that it’s not much better.”

Vanity Fair added: “The film, the first Indiana movie not directed by Steven Spielberg, shows a little brio here and there, but it sadly stands testament to its own lack. Director James Mangold, tasked with living up to a fearsome legacy, is competent with an action set piece, but displays little of Spielberg’s nimble, inventive physics or of his famous gift for conjuring awe.”

Indiana Jones 5 Rotten Tomatoes score

While it’s too early for an audience rating, Indiana Jones 5, the Dial of Destiny, has a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer. 

However, this is only based on the Cannes premiere, with just eight critics’ reviews contributing to the rating, meaning it will likely change when more reviews roll in. 

We’ll be sure to keep this page updated when new reactions and scores arrive. 

For more Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny info, check out the below articles:

Indiana Jones 5 review | Cast and characters | What is the Dial of Destiny? | Number of Indy movies | Helena Shaw explained | Soundtrack and songs | Indiana Jones streaming details | Dial of Destiny runtime | Lance of Longinus explained | Where is Indy’s son? | Filming locations | How to watch the Indy movies in order | Is Short Round in Dial of Destiny? | Ranking the Indiana Jones movies | Villain explained | Does Dial of Destiny have a post-credits scene? | Best Easter Eggs | Ending explained | Deaths in Dial of Destiny? | Will there be an Indiana Jones 6?