The irony of de-aging an archaeologist aside, some may wonder what risks there are in utilizing the advantage of 21st-century technology to scrub the years off the face of the legendary Harrison Ford like so much dirt from an excavation dig. In the latest and allegedly final installment of the Indiana Jones trilogy-and-change, the fifth movie (which so far lacks a subtitle) will see Ford donning the fedora one last time. It will, perhaps, serve as a capstone to his long-running action career.

There are certainly risks, however, as was demonstrated by another cinematic titan, Martin Scorsese, with his Netflix opus The Irishman. An adaptation of a Mafia memoir, it was also an attempt to recall the glory days of the mob movie, a genre whose apex in the 1980s and '90s was populated by greats like De Niro, Pacino and Pesci. All of these and others returned, with the age of digital effects, to perform one last routine. Though that movie was a critical success in some aspects, it is also a parable that Indiana Jones 5 must read, a warning of what can go wrong when nostalgia overrides reality.

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The Folly of The Irishman

The Irishman

While it is true that the critics were essentially a rubber stamp for The Irishman's inclusion into the awards lineup when it came out, there was still sizable critique directed at its decision to utilize the latest in VFX and pioneer its own to resurrect the younger faces of its aging cast. Though similar work had been done in Rogue One (which had also engendered its own controversy for 'resurrecting' the late Peter Cushing), The Irishman was heavily reliant on the tech for the functionality and continuity of its narrative rather than brief cameos.

Criticisms varied in their strength and specifics. Some noted that the techniques, despite the new innovations behind the scenes, were not sufficiently convincing and failed to surpass the 'uncanny valley' issue that has plagued digital effects since their inception. Others wondered as to the necessity, noting that it would have been smoother for Scorsese to utilize different actors to play the characters at their varying ages across decades of their lives. Though it is not likely Indiana Jones will have the same breadth of time passing in its story, all of these points stand as potential comments that it will have to face and should take measures to avoid whenever possible.

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Indiana Jones, Man of Action

Indiana Jones 5 will have to grapple with another specific issue that The Irishman faced, only with even more intensity -- and intensity is the word. The few fights and action scenes in Scorsese's film were criticized and mocked online, as it was painfully obvious in some of them that the choreography of the movie and the actions of both the older actors and those around them had to be tailored to the physical limits of the former. Of particular note was a scene in which De Niro beat a grocer who pushed his daughter, a clip of which can be seen above. It is clearly made with Scorsese's style and the trademark mercilessness of mafia violence on the silver screen, but it is clear that the grocer is moving to pre-ordained points to allow De Niro to deliver the beatdown.

As a much more adrenaline-fueled experience, with an original trilogy that was one of the highlights of an era of brilliant stuntwork and practical effects, it will be vital for Indiana Jones 5 to live up to that as best it is able. Its predecessor, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, sacrificed much of that essence for what felt more like a parody of the series than a part of it. These VFX will have to be utilized in ways that feel natural to both the character and the scenes. The original movies, in particular the tank fight in Last Crusade, are still beloved today for their utilization of the talents of daring stuntmen and the simple commitment to bring the script to life. Some of that can be lost in today's endless CGI, as rote of a complaint as that is by now, but Indiana Jones has a responsibility greater than its peers to honor its roots.

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Being Clever Runs in the Indiana Jones Family

Helena stands in front of Indy in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Speaking of maintaining the series' feeling, one of the new characters teased in the handful of released promotional images has been Phoebe Waller-Bridges' Helena, the goddaughter of Indiana Jones and apparently something of a confidence trickster. If, as director James Mangold has discussed in the early laps of the press circuit for Indiana Jones 5, one of the main themes of the movie is to be aging, then Waller-Bridges was the perfect name to bring on. As a writer, she punched up the script for No Time to Die, Daniel Craig's own retirement piece from the role of Bond. That movie, which dealt with similar themes, saw Bond bristle against his younger female successor before the two ultimately made amends and saved the world.

It would not be at all unlikely for Jones and Helena to do the same. This is especially intriguing considering the political tumult of the decade in which the movie is set, something that teaser images show it will visit in ticker-tape parades and revisit in the form of a new Nazi villain, played by Mads Mikkelsen. Waller-Bridge may have done similar uncredited work for this movie as Ford's Star Wars co-star Carrie Fisher did for the later installments of the original trilogy of that franchise, among others. Indeed, these themes are something of a topic du jour, as the nostalgia trend in media continues to peak. One wonders if the movie bringing back John Rhys-Davies' Sallah is also part of this.

Hopefully, Indiana Jones 5 has learned from its predecessors and its peers as to what will make a fulfilling experience for its audience, as well as a suitable conclusion for one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in cinematic history. One only hopes that the legacy of the original movies will be supported by this final entry.

Indiana Jones 5 is planned to open on June 30, 2023.