As a fan I wanted to feel joy and awe while figuratively traveling alongside Indy going on one last epic adventure. What I got was a big step down from all of his previous journeys, including Crystal Skull. Not to mention, as another commenter pointed, that deconstructing legacy characters/franchises didn't belong here. I think we've reached a point where such approaches to franchises robs certain sequels' purpose to any major series, which is to tell a story and not make it feel like some analytical term paper adapted in the form of a screenplay (eg Matrix Resurrections is a major guilty example of this folly).
Also, when I said I wanted to feel awe and joy, this movie lacked those major attributes in exchange for melancholy and moroseness. None of the supporting even tried hard to give the movie any sense of levity. There was a kid, but he was no Short Round. In fact, killing off Mutt was a really dumb mistake. While he didn't have a warm reception, it doesn't mean he couldn't be improved in the follow-up, and killing him off was one aspect that brought the movie down. Oh yeah, he reunited with Marion in the end. But I didn't have any warm feelings of a happy reunion. In my head: "Hi Marion. By the way, your son's dead." It just reeks of studio interference. "People don't like Mutt so just kill him off. I don't know how you do it, but just do it." "But I wrote a really good arc for him in the movie, and the fans are going to love him now." "Just do it already." "Okay fine. Jeez!" I mean, he was only mentioned in conversation and then forgotten. We don't see a picture or him anywhere. Bad writing, if you ask me.
Furthermore, the whole thing with characters dying on-screen made it a bit too dark and pointless. Why couldn't they have done something with time travel where Indy managed to save his colleagues and son from certain death. A nice Checkhov's gun moment. He goes back in time, and then...that's it. Would've been great if a big chunk of the climax was devoted to Indy stopping the Nazi man from changing history in any other time period, but an underwhelming anticlimactic plane crash would do.
You know what would've been the best way to end the series? Atlantis! The ultimate lost ancient city teeming with valuable treasures and whatever mythical MacGuffin they're journeying toward would've been more eventful than a time-traveling Dial that was lame. Heck! Since this is supposed to be Indy's last on-screen adventure, it would've been great to Marion, Mutt, Sallah, Short-Round, and maybe another new travel buddy or two coming along for the biggest adventure that Dial lacked, and wasted it on an idea that was not fitting Indy (ie Just because it worked on Logan, it doesn't work for Indy). I mean, other than the Holy Grail, you can't get bigger than Atlantis. And they squandered it.
Also, when I said I wanted to feel awe and joy, this movie lacked those major attributes in exchange for melancholy and moroseness. None of the supporting even tried hard to give the movie any sense of levity. There was a kid, but he was no Short Round. In fact, killing off Mutt was a really dumb mistake. While he didn't have a warm reception, it doesn't mean he couldn't be improved in the follow-up, and killing him off was one aspect that brought the movie down. Oh yeah, he reunited with Marion in the end. But I didn't have any warm feelings of a happy reunion. In my head: "Hi Marion. By the way, your son's dead." It just reeks of studio interference. "People don't like Mutt so just kill him off. I don't know how you do it, but just do it." "But I wrote a really good arc for him in the movie, and the fans are going to love him now." "Just do it already." "Okay fine. Jeez!" I mean, he was only mentioned in conversation and then forgotten. We don't see a picture or him anywhere. Bad writing, if you ask me.
Furthermore, the whole thing with characters dying on-screen made it a bit too dark and pointless. Why couldn't they have done something with time travel where Indy managed to save his colleagues and son from certain death. A nice Checkhov's gun moment. He goes back in time, and then...that's it. Would've been great if a big chunk of the climax was devoted to Indy stopping the Nazi man from changing history in any other time period, but an underwhelming anticlimactic plane crash would do.
You know what would've been the best way to end the series? Atlantis! The ultimate lost ancient city teeming with valuable treasures and whatever mythical MacGuffin they're journeying toward would've been more eventful than a time-traveling Dial that was lame. Heck! Since this is supposed to be Indy's last on-screen adventure, it would've been great to Marion, Mutt, Sallah, Short-Round, and maybe another new travel buddy or two coming along for the biggest adventure that Dial lacked, and wasted it on an idea that was not fitting Indy (ie Just because it worked on Logan, it doesn't work for Indy). I mean, other than the Holy Grail, you can't get bigger than Atlantis. And they squandered it.