Indiana Jones and the Antikythera Mechanism

Yesterday, my wife and I went to see the newest Indiana Jones movie, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Movie critics have been very negative about the movie.

For instance, Brian Tallerico’s review of the movie is a mixture of a little appreciation for the movie mixed with a lot of criticism and negative comments about the movie and the story that is the focus of the movie.

Tallerico writes, “‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ is somehow both never boring and never really entertaining. It walks a line of modest interest in what’s going to happen next thanks to equal parts innovative story beats and the foundation of nostalgia that everyone brings to the theater. It’s an alternating series of frustrating choices, promising beats, and general goodwill for a legendary actor donning one of the most famous hats in movie history yet again. It should be better. It could have been worse.”

Don’t believe the critics. After all they are critics and what critics do is to criticize. When the movie was over, the audience applauded Indiana Jones as evidence that “The Dial of Destiny” is a good movie.

I have seen every Indiana Jones movie. There is nothing compared with the first Indiana Jones’ movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” which came out in 1981. I believe that the weakest movie in the series was “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” which came out in 2008.

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” is a good movie and you will not be disappointed with this final movie in the series, notwithstanding what the critics say about the movie. The movie is a nostalgic movie because Indiana Jones is retiring as a professor. I know the feeling. I also retired as a professor after many years of teaching.

The whole movie is about the Antikythera Mechanism. I am sure that most people who will see this movie have never heard of the Antikythera Mechanism. The movie gives a basic explanation of what the Antikythera Mechanism was.

However, for the development of the plot, the purpose of the Antikythera Mechanism was changed to serve as the background for the plot of the movie. I am dying to tell you more about the movie and its plot, however, I will not say much about the movie because I do not want to spoil your pleasure in seeing the movie by telling you what happens in the movie.

I have written several posts on the Antikythera Mechanism. Here are the links to my posts on the Antikythera Mechanism:

The Mysterious Antikythera Mechanism: The World First Computer

The Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism Again

The Antikythera Mechanism has been called “the world’s first computer.” The mechanism was developed by the Greeks around 100 B.C. Recently, scientists using modern-day techniques have concluded that the Antikythera Mechanism was an astronomical calculator. Unless of course, you believe that the Antikythera Mechanism was an example of ancient alien technology, as some people believe.

Using advanced new imaging technology, scientists were able to decipher some of the texts inscribed in the mechanism. According to an article published in the National Geographic, the inscriptions include geographical references such as “south,” “Spain,” and “Pharos,” the island in Egypt that once housed the wonder of the world known as the lighthouse of Alexandria.

The Antikythera Mechanism is used with a different purpose in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” I will not tell you how the movie adapts the Antikythera Mechanism to develop the plot for the movie.

You need to see the movie to become better acquainted with the Antikythera Mechanism.

I will see you at the movies (I am planning to watch the movie again). I hope that you will enjoy the last adventures of Indiana Jones. I can say that the battle scene at the end of the movie was very interesting (that’s all I can say about the movie).

Claude Mariottini
Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

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