What a night it was for Harrison Ford yesterday, receiving an honorary Palme d’Or and a special tribute to his career before the world premiere of “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny.” Did James Mangold‘s take on the legendary franchise live up to the proceedings? Well, the reviews from the premiere (including The Playlist’s) are pretty mixed. But many note Ford’s performance as a major highlight, so at least the actor gives his most popular movie character a proper send-off.
And THR reports that at the press conference following the “Dial Of Destiny” premiere, amid jokes of his old age, Ford emphasized how much the evening meant to him. “The warmth of this place, and the sense of community…the welcome is just unimaginable. And it makes me feel good,” the actor said, calling the pre-screening video tribute to him “extraordinary” and the evening as a whole “indescribable.” The press conference also included Ford’s “Dial Of Destiny” co-stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Boyd Holbrook, Mads Mikkelsen, Ethann Isidore, and Shaunette Renee Wilson.
But of course, Ford’s “Dial Of Destiny” co-stars couldn’t help but get some ribs in on the octogenarian actor. Mikkelsen, who plays the villain Jürgen Voller in the upcoming film, joked that “The first [“Indiana Jones“] film came out 30 years before I was born.” And Ford was keen to take a couple of digs at himself during the press conference, too. After a journalist asked Ford if he was finally ready to put the Indiana Jones character to rest now, the actor gestured to his physique and deadpanned, “Is it not evident?”
But Ford also stressed how important the “Indiana Jones” franchise has been for him as both an actor and a person. “I love to work, and I love this character, and I love what it brought into my life,” he continued. It was also important for Ford to end the franchise on the satisyfing note. “I wanted to see completion of the five, I wanted to round out the story,” the actor added. So did Ford think that Mangold did a good job helming the franchise’s final installment? “For me, he made a beautiful movie,” said Ford, adding that the director “more than filled” the shoes of Steven Spielberg, who made the first four installments.
As for Mangold, he understood some fans wouldn’t like him taking over the franchise, but he praised the cast and crew of his film. “There’s so many expectations upon a film like this, and you’ll only achieve some of them, because everyone has their own dear version of “Indiana Jones,” and there’s no way you’re ever going to please everyone,” said the director. “But you also have the other hesitation of such a legendary crew of the greatest of film producing, acting, scoring team. I was trying to understand the most honest way that I could make a movie that also felt like mine. You know, I saw “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when I was 17 years old in an upstate New York mall on opening day and it’s one of the reasons I’m a movie director.”
But did Mangold capture the iconic franchise’s magic in “Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny”? According to his leading star Ford, yes, he did. “There’s a little myth and a little magic — and they all belong in the same box,” the actor said about playing Indiana Jones on last time. “And when it works, it’s f*cking magic.” But will that magic translate to a pleasant reception from fans and decent box-office numbers (and bear in mind, this film’s budget was about $300 million)? Ford, Mangold & co. will find out when the film hits theaters on June 30.