Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Shocked Some Fans With Its High Death Count
Contains spoilers for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"
"Indiana Jones" is back for his latest (and final) adventure and he's brought with him a surprisingly high death count.
Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), everyone's favorite archeologist, is no stranger to action and beating up bad guys. The character, throughout his various cinematic appearances, has proven to be a capable marksman and fighter, effortlessly able to take down anyone who dares to go against him and his mission. With "Dial of Destiny," the first film in the franchise directed by James Mangold, Indy is back — and he hasn't lost his charm as a fighter.
The legacy sequel, released 42 years after the character debuted in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," is filled to the brim with tight and immersive action sequences, proving that Indy's still got it — even at the age of 80. What the film doesn't have, at least according to some fans, is a conscience. Several "Indy" fans are shocked by the film's high death count. While Indiana Jones and his friends are always put in nefarious situations, fans are surprised by the lengths "Dial of Destiny" goes to show off the number of people who die. "I was surprised by the body count in this," wrote Reddit user u/jisforjoe. "Being Indy's pal is a death sentence lol." Indeed, being Indiana Jones' friend is simply not a good time, as "Dial of Destiny" manages to kill off a number of his buds, like Antonio Banderas' Renaldo. There's also the death of special agent Mason (Shaunette Renée Wilson), and a few other acquaintances that makes "Dial of Destiny" the most brutal "Indiana Jones" yet.
Fans are upset by the civilian deaths in Dial of Destiny
It's not just Indiana Jones' friends who are dying — it's civilians too. "It's pretty out of place in the Indy franchise to kill off so many civilians and friends," shared Reddit user u/dukefett. "They could have knocked half those people out and been the same effect." The fifth adventure doesn't shy away from killing off those in Jones' periphery, including in the workplace. "Shooting the secretary dead at the college did seem a bit much," wrote user u/flatbushfc.
While the body count in "Dial of Destiny" is high, the plot does demand that murders ramp up for the sake of tension. One fan assumed that the body count in the film was high so Indy and the gang have the incentive to go back and prevent the deaths using the Dial of Destiny. "The civilian deaths bothered me," wrote another fan. "I was actually sure they'd use the dial to reverse them. Felt out of place for an Indy movie. And then the whole ship crew too."
Unfortunately, those who are dead remain dead. "Also, is this the first Indy film that actually shows innocent civilians die?" asked the inquisitive u/PaulRai01. "I'm talking about people that sadly were in the way of the bad guys that don't include people part of a secret society, people backstabbing Indy, or soldier-types—but actual civilians like the ones at Indy's college?" It's definitely a strong choice to have so many deaths in an "Indiana Jones" flick but it's also a sign of the chaotic times the character lives in. In a time that should feel rich with optimism (the Appolo 11 mission and post-WWII America), it's jarring to see the deaths of so many people at the hands of Nazis.
Indiana Jones has always been a violent franchise
While Indy does express some remorse about the actions of others, and the mounting deaths, fans are not impressed with how Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) handles the whole adventure. "These bad guys were killing everyone and the lead female was pretty much like hey that's no big deal and I wonder if I can make some money from this," wrote user u/audierules. Though "Dial of Destiny" may feature an excessive amount of deaths, fans are mostly in awe with how the film features the young Teddy (Ethann Isidore), Helena's side-kick, effortlessly and violently killing people. "Nobody talking about the kid straight murdering the goon..." wrote user u/cwatson214. In Teddy's defense, the bad guy was a Nazi, so he should get him a pass.
While it's understandable that fans are upset or disappointed by the violence in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," it's important to remember that this is the franchise that ushered in the PG-13 rating with its second installment "Temple of Doom." The 1984 flick received a PG rating at the time of release, despite featuring human sacrifices, child labor, and the digestion of monkey brains. Because of the backlash "Temple of Doom" received from parents and the media, director, and franchise steward Steven Spielberg implored the Motion Picture Association to create a rating more suitable for older children. This led to the manifestation of the PG-13 rating, which warns viewers that content is best suited for those older than 13.
Since then, every "Indiana Jones" movie has received a PG-13 rating, including "Dial of Destiny," which explicitly warns parents and cautious viewers that Indy's fifth outing features "sequences of violence and action."