The long-awaited Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is currently playing in cinemas and who would have thought we’d see Harrison Ford continue to play the role as an octogenarian? The series began 42 years ago in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Ark. Director Steven Spielberg had found tremendous success with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind but had tainted his career with 1941, so he teamed with George Lucas on a project inspired by some of the early 20th century serial films he enjoyed in his youth.

When Raiders of the Lost Ark opened to critical and financial acclaim, it spawned a prequel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and a sequel, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Many consider these films to be a perfect trilogy, but the team had another crack with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which released in 2008. Although it also opened to positive reviews, many didn’t find it as satisfying as the original trilogy for various reasons, chiefly some far-fetched setpieces inspired by 1950s sci-fi. While many at the time assumed Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to be the final installment in the series, due to both Ford’s age and the fact the ending left his character with a peaceful resolution.

Alas, this was not the case and now 15 years later, we have Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny which is surely the final film. Dial of Destiny represents the first time Steven Spielberg isn’t in the director’s chair, nor George Lucas on story duties. Instead, Logan and Ford v Ferrari director James Mangold helms the project.

5) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

The weakest entry in the series by some distance, Dial of Destiny disappoints with its unconvincing visual effects and the fact lacks a sense of fun in its action sequences. It also could easily lose half an hour and largely fails to add any meaningful development to its characters. Although Harrison Ford turns in another committed performance, newcomer Phoebe Waller-Bridge doesn’t share much of a chemistry with him. Mads Mikkelsen turns in a reliably slimy performance as the villainous Jürgen Voller but it’s a shame his villain is rather straightforwardly written. It’s not all for nothing, as director James Mangold hints at a more interesting depiction of Indy in its early sequences as a drunk and miserable shadow of his former self before the film contently runs through the motions – he’s a fine director and I suspect Disney watered down his original vision.

• Read the full Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny review here

4) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

A terrific third entry which not only functions as the next Indiana Jones adventure but also an exploration as to why and how he came to be. In this film, Jones partners with his father (an spot-on Sean Connery) to track down the Holy Grail. The initial opening sequence which features the late River Phoenix as young Jones is particularly gripping and throughout the film, Spielberg strikes an almost perfect balance between rip-roaring action and surprising poignancy, which differentiates it from the first two films. Alison Doody is another highlight as the charismatic Elsa Schneider and the final set-piece with the Holy Grail is masterfully crafted. It speaks volumes of the quality of the rest of the franchise that this film is only fourth and for me, it’s a film I tend to rewatch less than my next picks as it’s not paced quite as well.

3) Raiders of the Lost Ark

The film that started it all and what many consider to be the peak of the series only makes the third position in my list. “Heresy”, I hear you say. This first installment is a blast from start to finish and really cemented Spielberg in the action-adventure genre. Ford is excellent from the off and Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood is just as compelling, and shares a compelling chemistry with Indy. Ronald Lacey is another highlight as the iconic henchman, Arnold Toht, a particularly nasty Gestapo agent. The majority of the action sequences are superb, from the opening sequence that’s largely disassociated from the rest of the film that tells you all you need to know about Indy to a kinetic chase on the streets of Cairo. So why is Raiders of the Lost Ark only in third? Two reasons – firstly, Paul Freeman’s villain just isn’t as impressionable as others in the series and I don’t think the film is paced quite as perfectly as my top two picks.

2) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

A choice that’s sure to spark a witch hunt in the comments section, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a vastly underrated sequel. Although thirty years older than his previous appearance in The Last Crusade, the grizzled nature of Ford’s performance suits the story Spielberg and Lucas concoct and Karen Allen effortlessly slip back into the role of Marion and shares a great rapport with Indy. I’ll go on the record to say I don’t take issue with Shia LaBoeuf either as Mutt Williams as the character receives a meaningful arc and his past baggage is integral to the plot. There’s great performances from the rest of the cast too, with John Hurt getting lots to do and Ray Winstone clearly having fun as a former agent who worked with Jones. Although Cate Blanchett is completely over-the-top as the villainous Soviet military scientist, it’s completely in keeping with the film’s 1950’s pulp sci-fi influences (even the questionable CGI many complain of). The action sequences are terrific, from a horror-inflected graveyard scramble to a balletic car chase which culminates in a punch-up among heroes and villains, while trying to avoid an army of giant ants. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is exactly the risk this series needed and it leaves Indy in a peaceful resolution that didn’t warrant Dial of Destiny coming to trample all over.

1) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

A very different and darker film than Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg and Lucas chose to make a prequel that explored a younger Indy a year before the events of the original. Despite mixed initial reviews and even Spielberg himself referred to the film as his least favourite of the four when Kingdom of the Crystal Skull released. However, this darker entry is exactly the kick this series needed – gone are the Nazi’s and light-heartedness and instead, we get themes of the occult and devil worship. Ford turns in another excellent performance as the titular character and Amrish Puri is a highlight as the terrifying villain, Mola Ram. Ke Huy Quan makes for a terrific sidekick as Short Round and despite common criticism of Kate Capshaw’s nightclub singer love interest as a shrilling damsel-in-distress, the character really works in context of the film. The action sequences are thrilling throughout, be it the mine cart chase or the rope bridge finale and I appreciated the influences and references to the James Bond films. Temple of Doom is one of my favourite action films of all time, so dark that the MPAA introduced the PG-13 rating.

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