The Endings to ‘Indiana Jones’ Movies Have Always Been Wild (Commentary)

thewrap.com:

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” hits theaters, it’s time yet again for the fan debate over whether the MacGuffin and/or ending of the latest “Indiana Jones” movie is too far-fetched.

This debate ignited when “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was released in 2008, which found Harrison Ford’s rugged hero coming face-to-face with a literal alien, but how quickly fans seem to forget that this is a franchise rooted in the mystical – going all the way back to Steven Spielberg’s original, iconic “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”“Dial of Destiny” takes a big swing in its third act, but it’s a swing that is – on the whole – not much bolder or bigger than what’s been portrayed in the previous films.

So why does this always seem to catch fans by surprise? Because “Indiana Jones” is too good.Spielberg, Ford, producer George Lucas and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan were inspired by 1930s and 40s serials when they created what would become “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but through the craftsmanship of all involved, they ended up creating a character so tangible, so authentic, so grounded that he’s seared into the minds of our collective pop culture as, well, very real.Ford’s portrayal of Jones as a man constantly out of his depth is tremendously relatable.

He’s not an untouchable superhero hero; he’s a guy surviving by the skin of his teeth each and every time, whether he’s climbing all over tanks, running from a giant boulder or being dropped into a pit full of snakes.