I wanted to see this movie a lot sooner, but because I was away on holiday for a week as well as various other reasons, I ended up not being able to. But, I've seen it now, so talk about it I shall.
There was nothing about Jungle Cruise, from what I could see, that signalled to me that I wouldn't enjoy it. I've never been to any of the Disneyland parks so I have no connection to the ride that the film is based on, but everything from a conceptual standpoint seemed all set. It's a good old-fashioned adventure in an exotic location, and it stars a bunch of actors I like - Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall to name a few. So, yeah, it basically seemed like a movie I'd undeniably have a good time with. Obviously, I wasn't expecting anything spectacular, but something that'd be lots of fun for sure.
In the film, an ambitious scientist named Lily Houghton and her brother MacGregor team up with a cynical skipper named Frank Wolff on a journey through the Amazon to find the mythical tree of life. However, they are up against several antagonists including a German prince and a group of cursed Conquistadors.
As I expected, Jungle Cruise is a ton of fun. It thrives off of the fact that its premise is extremely simple and straightforward and serves as purely a vessel for some fun antics with these characters in this location.
The characters are all very enjoyable, and mostly because of some really entertaining performances. Dwayne Johnson is of course the main star of the film, and he continues to prove that he is just such a likeable, charming, and generally delightful screen presence. He's always really funny and keeps the film consistently engaging. Emily Blunt is also terrific as usual, further proving herself to be one of the most versatile talents working today and having a great dynamic with DJ - the combination of his charisma and her dry-wit make the two of them a wonderful pair. Jack Whitehall is also really good in the film; he's one of my favourite comedians and I think it's great to see him in a role like this because he pulls off the posh, cowardly act rather perfectly. I hope he gets more screen roles in the future as I really enjoyed him here. Everyone else, most notably Jesse Plemmons and Paul Giamatti are also solid, with these two in particular doing their very best at chewing the scenery as much as possible and being really fun in the process.
But, beyond that, a lot of the other aspects of the film are well executed. The action scenes are the main highlights of the film, and they're always exciting, if a bit too reliant on very noticeable CGI at times, with some really good editing to help keep a fast pace and maintain a strong energy, especially in the opening sequence. The score is also more than serviceable, elevating these scenes even further. Of course, the production design and costumes are all top-notch as well, so Jungle Cruise does have a fair amount going for it beyond its story and characters.
As you'd probably expect, this isn't a perfect movie by any means. A lot of the exposition in the film is quite clunky in terms of how it is delivered, and the pacing isn’t particularly good as some parts drag a little and the film overall is longer than it needs to be. Also, like many Dwayne Johnson vehicles, it has an air of disposability about it; with how throwaway and generic certain aspects of the film are, it does feel a bit like something you'll see, enjoy as it plays out, but won't really think about much beyond that. However, I wouldn't really hold this against the film too much as it was entirely all that I was expecting of it. Still, it would be nice to see a film that makes a long-lasting impact even if it didn't have to.
The best comparison I can make is that Jungle Cruise is very similar to the recent Jumanji sequels - not least because of DJ, the setting, and the genre, but also because of what they bring to the table. I like those movies; I saw them in the cinema when they came out and have rewatched them once or twice, but there isn't much more on offer. This is in the same sort of league. You can tell it's based on a theme park ride because it does share a lot of the characteristics of one, in that it's a jolly good time while you're on it, and thrills it offers are thrilling as they occur, but once you're done, that's kind of where it ends. But, to be honest, I don't see an awful lot wrong with an enjoyable yet unremarkable film, because if I had a good time while watching it, that's more than enough.
As a whole, Jungle Cruise is very much a case of what you see is what you get - it's another frothy romp with Dwayne Johnson featuring some highly enjoyable set pieces and strong performances. Nothing to write home about for sure, but undeniably something I had a good time with and would happily revisit at some point. If it doesn't seem like the sort of thing you'd get a kick out of, I wouldn't bother as it's unlikely it'll win you over. But, if it sounds fun to you, then I'd say you ought to give it a go.
I'm going to give Jungle Cruise a 7.5/10
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