UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Let's begin with the important stuff.

This is a gorgeous slipcover, combining artwork, title logotype, embossing and a fully reflective background that will probably assay as pure gold.

One would presume that this slip will be First Edition only, and after the initial distribution, should there be a warehouse fire (think Moby Dick), the value could skyrocket to four or even five figures.

Regardless, this is an instant collectible.

The background is fully reflective gold, which surround the portrait of the beloved Indy, much akin to a 16th century backlit madonna. There are absolutely religious aspects going on here. If you doubt it, please consult Janson.

The logotype, which properly reads as INDIANA JONES and the DIAL OF DESTINY is embossed, without reflectivity, in a fully glossy finish.

ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION is overlaid by black and is designed to be a part of the reflective background. It's a nice touch.

Against the gold, the foreground imagery is mostly made of browns with the a blend of browns and gold highlighting the facial highlights.

James Mangold's film was shot by Phedon Papamichael (Nebraska, Walk the Line, Ferrari) with an Arri Alexa and an Arri Mini LF, and Panavision anamorphic optics.

It was finished in 4k, and the 4k UHD discs beautifully mimics what I saw in 4k in a theater.

Yet another reference quality disc.

Image – 10 (HDR10)

Audio – 10 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 10

Worth your attention - 7.5

Slipcover rating - 8

Recommended

RAH


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[Robert Harris]

Now unlocked. Was locked in error.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

This was a marvelous ending for the series. It felt a bit overlong because the chase sequences could have used some tightening, and PWB was a bit too obnoxious in the first half, but otherwise a near perfect finale. For those wondering why a certain vital character is absent from the film, the story is written to maximize the emotional value of that character's eventual appearance. And it works beautifully.

 

[Dave H]

I never saw it, but will likely buy it this week. So long as it's better than Crystal Skull...

 

[B-ROLL]

I never saw it, but will likely buy it this week. So long as it's better than Crystal Skull...

That's an extremely low barre ...

 

[Dave H]

That's an extremely low barre ...

Keeping expectations in check.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

It's miles better than Crystal Skull, if only for the absence of Shia LeBarf.

 

[Tino]

I never saw it, but will likely buy it this week. So long as it's better than Crystal Skull...

Imo, it’s not. Still a very good film tho. I just thought Crystal Skull was better in every way.

 

[Jake Lipson]

So long as it's better than Crystal Skull...

Naturally, you will find a variety of opinions on that.

I would place it easily above Crystal Skull but significantly below the trilogy.

If you have Disney+, you could always check it out there before you make a purchase decision because it is already streaming.

 

[B-ROLL]

It's miles better than Crystal Skull, if only for the absence of Shia LeBarf.

... Don't let your dreams be dreams man ....

!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Naturally, you will find a variety of opinions on that.

I would place it easily above Crystal Skull but significantly below the trilogy.

If you have Disney+, you could always check it out there before you make a purchase decision because it is already streaming.

I just watched the first hour of the movie and I’m liking it so far so I’ll probably buy the 4KUHD.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I never saw it, but will likely buy it this week. So long as it's better than Crystal Skull...

Crystal Skull was unfairly maligned imo. I liked it. I don't think this film is as good as Crystal Skull, but I came away not hating it, which I felt good about.

 

[Mark VH]

Imo, it’s not. Still a very good film tho. I just thought Crystal Skull was better in every way.

Agree with this.

 

[Tino]

I just watched the first hour of the movie

Which is the best part of the film. The rest of it unfortunately doesn’t match the exciting opening hour imo.

 

[dpippel]

Well, as "meh" as I am about this film, I stumbled into my local Best Buy today just for grins (had an errand next door) and out of curiosity perused the very limited stock of Blu-ray/4K releases they have left. Lo and behold, there was ONE steelbook of this title on the shelf and it was in pristine condition. After hemming and hawing, mainly due to the outrageous price, and walking around the rest of the store with it in my hand talking to myself, I caved and bought the thing. This was probably the very last physical media purchase I'll ever make at Best Buy.

Being the completist that I am it will sit nicely up against my Indy 1-4 steelbooks. Yikes!!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I posted my ranking in another thread, but the Tl;dr is this: Better than both Crystal Skull AND Last Crusade, but not as good as the first two. I have my reasons.

 

[FatherDude]

I don't know if the incoming demise of physical media from Disney is overstated or not, but if DIAL made it to disc just in time then I'm grateful. Great transfer. I have to say that despite the aggressive digital involvement in this film, and the fact that SKULL was shot on 35mm, Papamichael did on the whole a better job in my book of acknowledging Douglas Slocombe's precedent than Spielberg and Kaminski were able to do. It might have been the location shooting (there are moments when you can actually tell they filmed in multiple countries this time) or the absence of overly self-conscious filtration/backlighting, but it's definitely a rebound from that gauzy, glow-y look that felt like such a baffling, immersion-harming swerve from the tactile, earthy "world" one associates with Indy.

 

[Worth]

I posted my ranking in another thread, but the Tl;dr is this: Better than both Crystal Skull AND Last Crusade, but not as good as the first two. I have my reasons.

I’m not quite sure I’d rank it that high, but I’m glad I’m not the only one who isn’t that crazy about Last Crusade.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I’m not quite sure I’d rank it that high, but I’m glad I’m not the only one who isn’t that crazy about Last Crusade.

Last Crusade suffers from a similar issue to both Return of the Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker: it's a clawback or retraction after a big swing. Love or hate them, Temple of Doom and The Last Jedi did not play it safe, and when the backlash happened, there was a desire to fan-serve rather than lean into the change in direction. What I appreciate about Dial of Destiny is that it doesn't play it safe by retreating to Judeo-Christian artifacts and history, or by following the template of Raiders.

A frequent argument about Raiders, and the Indiana Jones films generally, is that the events of the films would have happened even without Indiana Jones. I didn't feel that with Dial of Destiny, even if others felt it focused too much on Helena Shaw. I'm just not seeing it. I get the arguments about Willie Scott in Temple of Doom, but a Marion clone would not have worked in that script. Similarly, Elsa Schneider is not a Marion analogue and as many issues as I have with the film, it's not terrible; it's just not as good as the others.

 

[JoshZ]

A frequent argument about Raiders, and the Indiana Jones films generally, is that the events of the films would have happened even without Indiana Jones. I didn't feel that with Dial of Destiny,

Uhh, sure it does.

Spoiler

With or without Indy, Voller would have gotten the Dial and used it to go through the temporal rift - which he assumed would take him back to 1939, but would have actually taken him back to ancient Greece, where he would have died in the battle of Syracuse. Then end. Indy's involvement not needed.