Jungle Cruise – A Chemistry-Driven Adventure Film (Early Review)

Delayed over a year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jungle Cruise is finally upon us as a Disney Plus Premier Access release along with a theatrical release where available. Based on the theme park ride of the same name, the film is yet another franchise hopeful that doesn’t bring anything new to the table, pulling several aspects from several of the best films of the adventure genre with a little bit of Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Romancing the Stone on it way to deliver its own thrilling adventure that is sure to appeal to audiences of all ages. While the film may seem like a mere collection of lesser homages to those aforementioned films, the resulting film is something more than that at its core. Perhaps a touch too long, clocking in at just over 2 hours, and perhaps not everything worked about it but in the end, what carried the film was the dynamic chemistry of Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and their stellar performances, especially the latter, which broke through.

Jungle Cruise follows Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt), a dauntless researcher who travels from London, England to the Amazon along with her timid brother MacGregor (Whitehall), enlisting the help of a wisecracking wildcard skipper named Frank Wolff (Johnson) to take them on his trusty old boat on a journey downriver to search for an ancient tree with healing abilities which could change the future of medicine. Fearless and unfazed by whatever was in her way, Lily was unlike most women of the time period and was always determined to succeed at whatever she set out to do. Therefore this determination arguably got in the way at times, clashing with the similar personality of Wolff who wasn’t used to such an assertive woman. Now it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone as the three saw plenty of adversity along the way as their story wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed as the backstory of the tree and its true impact were unveiled.

Though the characters’ journey itself shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, it didn’t make Jungle Cruise any less fun or compelling to watch. Not only did they have to face the elements, the wildlife, the natives, or the other parties interested in the tree, but they also faced each other. The contrast was clear fairly early on as compared to Wolff, the Houghtons were certainly not accustomed to the Amazon let alone boating life which brought along a gamut of moments from hilarious to thrilling. The contrast between the Houghtons was never clearer during these moments as Lily was much more comfortable than the city boy that was her brother. Despite this, the love the two shared was strong as the two supported each other all of their lives which did not go unnoticed by MacGregor. The further the three got on their voyage, the higher the stakes became as their foes grew closer, including the nefarious Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons).

Considering all the buildup, the end had a daunting task. While it definitely made it a little harder for itself, taking a few too many turns along the way, it still did a decent job at more or less giving a satisfying conclusion to everything it had set out to do. The sum of the story exceeded its parts as some stood out more than others, hurting the flow of the film and of course added to the length, but that was only a minor complaint. With its sights on a new franchise, the door is left open for more. Meanwhile, it is worth mentioning that Jungle Cruise is a beautiful film to look at on any screen, bringing the lush Hawaii landscape to life. However, the special effects were a mixed bag, be it CGI animals or other characters who stuck out. The score, on the other hand, while generic, was fine.

In spite of everything else, the best part of Jungle Cruise and what made it all ultimately work were the great performances from Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and their dynamite chemistry as Wolff and Lily Houghton. Their dynamic was a blast to watch thanks to their charisma and screen presence as the two looked to be having a blast here.  As Wolff, Johnson shows another side of him beyond that of the action star as he was more of a talker while his dad jokes and puns were hilarious. Blunt and the energy she brings here as Lily was the best part of the film as she held her own, stealing scenes alongside Johnson. Her chemistry with Whitehall as MacGregor was also a highlight. Finally, much has been said about Plemons and his accent as Prince Joachim. The hype is real.

At the end of the day, Jungle Cruise is sure to fill the void for those looking for a fun and family-friendly adventure thanks to the star power of Johnson and Blunt. While the film has more or less been done in countless other films, they make it worth it.

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.