About the film (courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures):
A rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff (Dwyane Johnson) and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt). Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities—possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.
Dwyane Johnson has become almost larger than Hollywood. And with that, his massive marketability has everyone in line trying to get a piece of…The Rock. This time around it’s Walt Disney and they’re bringing with them the keys to their castle. Based on the famed river boat attraction located in Adventureland at four Disney theme parks worldwide, Jungle Cruise hopes to drop its anchor on the top spot in the box office for multiple weeks to come.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra has a interesting and somewhat non-traditional style of filmmaking that will be intriguing to see how it plays out in regards to the acceptance of this family fun film. He made his feature directorial film debut with House of Wax (2005) and then there was Orphan (2009) that had people talking for a long time after that one. His name also seemingly goes hand-in-hand with Liam Neeson as he has directed four films (Unknown (2011), Non-Stop (2014), Run at Night (2015), The Commuter(2018)) starring the aging action star. Let’s see how these styles mesh together.
Jungle Cruise brings audiences on a wild, fun ride through uncharted jungles surrounded by natural and unnatural threats throughout. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt have good chemistry. With both having solid backgrounds in more physical roles, it should come as no surprise that the pair dove head first into these physical challenges all in the name of creating an entertaining experience for viewers. There’s lots of action, comedy and a tense moments that help bring this story to life.
Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti lend strong helping hands (along with others) that all for the plot to never really drop off into obscurity or become of a wasteful nature. Even though the runtime is 128 minutes, Jungle Cruise has strong consistent pacing with very few wasted scenes without at all feeling rushed or overstuffed. And let’s be honest here, Johnson and Blunt are a big reason for that, but the secondary actors (including the CGI ones) assist in keeping the party going.
Let me just say that I wasn’t expecting all of the silly puns that Frank whipped out during his travels in thematic adventure. Being a fan of such comedic tactics, Jungle Cruise made me a fan very early on. The story brings a fun, lighthearted journey that is executed as effortlessly as Dwayne Johnson can raise an eyebrow.
There are few stylistic similarities between this film and other franchises such as Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean that allows audience members young and old to locate enjoyable moments to them. This should hit audiences on a broad spectrum so that virtually anyone will have a positive experience. You can see Disney’s Jungle Cruise in theaters or order it on Disney+ with Premier Access Friday, July 30. There are even some early showings for the eager on Thursday evening starting at 6:00 PM. Check your local listings for details.
