Since its inception in 1981, Indiana Jones has been a staple of my cinematic fandom. Raiders of the Lost Ark is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made and one of my favorites. Going through the landscape of adventure films throughout time, the first three adventures with Indiana Jones were near perfect, then came 2008.

While Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is far from awful, as many have yelled from their soap box for 15 years, the film fails at capturing the charm and adventure the previous three entries executed effectively. Fifteen years later, Indiana Jones has a new ship captain, James Mangold. That ship, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is a deserving swan song for our fedora-wearing hero.

Like every great band, great franchises deserve a “greatest hits” compilation, and James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny covers the memorable hits of Indy’s past while molding a path for a fitting finale. Yes, it’s The Force Awakens of the Indy world, but that’s not bad.

Dial of Destiny travels back to 1944 to find Indy in pursuit of the Spear of Longinus. As with any Indy adventure, he is not alone as Basil Shaw joins Indy, and on this pursuit to find one item, Shaw discovers the Nazis have discovered lost Antikythera, a dial designed by Archimedes that will give someone the ultimate power (think Biff in Back to the Future Part II).

Unfortunately for Indy and Shaw, Jürgen Voller knows the power of the dial, and as time moves forward, so does Shaw’s obsession and Voller’s desire to attain the dial. As we jump to 1969, Indy is set to retire while Helena Shaw, daughter of Basil, arrives in New York. That arrival spawns one final memorable journey.

Dial of Destiny’s screenplay plays it safe as Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, David Koepp, and James Mangold do not look to reinvent the wheel but bring back the charm and feel of an Indy adventure lacking in the previous entry. Most importantly, the screenplay does a fine job of examining the past and confronting it head-first. Speaking of Mangold, replacing Steven Spielberg is a challenging task. However, Mangold’s skill is on display as he brings to the series the same respect and adoration obtained when he helmed Logan a few years ago.

Cinephiles head to the theater to spend time with Indiana and Harrison Ford, as with any Indiana Jones film. With Dial of Destiny, Ford says goodbye to one of cinema’s most notable characters with the charm, laughs, and action that cemented him as one in 1981’s masterpiece. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena is a perfect match for Indy as Waller-Bridge becomes one of the franchise’s most memorable character debuts with her grit and not only warrants a partnership with Indy but a dive into Helena’s world, a Disney+ series, if I say so.

As with Crystal Skull, there will be extensive conversations. However, it’s not the CGI de-aging of Ford, which is flawless, its the third act that will divide cinephiles. While it can be seen as wildly ridiculous, I look back at every Indy film, and each offers a third act “suspend your disbelief moment.” While Dial of Destiny will have you suspending your disbelief, the finality of its execution left me satisfied.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny affirms one thing. There is only one Harrison Ford and Indiana Jones. The film treats its character with the utmost respect, and as John William’s final Indy score plays our character off into the sunset, it’s bittersweet that the whip and fedora will no longer hit the silver screen.