‘Jungle Cruise’ has a great story but gets in its own way to tell it
It’s well-documented by now that I am a huge fan of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I’m also a massive fan of Emily Blunt. The two joined forces for Disney’s latest action adventure “Jungle Cruise” based on one of the oldest and (to some) beloved attractions in the Disney parks.
It seems the Mouse is bound and determined to make all of their attractions into movies following the success of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” but as anyone who has seen “Haunted Mansion” or the TV movie “Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror” knows that lightning has yet to strike twice.
When the first trailers dropped, I had mixed feelings about what the film might be. They had a great cast, they had a great design, but what could the story possibly be when the source material is a boat ride around a lagoon filled with animatronic animals and people and punctuated by terrible “dad jokes.” I have a pretty good imagination, but even as I pushed play on Disney+, I still had no idea what to expect.
And I’m happy to report I was pleasantly surprised.
Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt) is seeking assistance to launch an expedition into the Amazon jungle to find the fabled Tears of the Moon tree that she believes could revolutionize modern medicine in World War I. When she and her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) are laughed out of the Royal Society of Explorers, Lily stumbles upon and steals an ancient arrowhead believed to be the key to finding the tree. Also seeking the arrowhead is Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons), a German aristocrat with a penchant for violence and murder. The two tango before Lily escapes with MacGregor and make their way to South America.
River boat cruise skipper Frank Wolff (The Rock) spends his days taking tourists around his shoddy and carnival-esque river tour, complete with corny jokes and hokey special effects but culminating with the greatest bit of both the ride and the movie: the backside of water! It’s clear he’s a bit of a con-man doing what he can to get by. He’s harassed by Nilo (Paul Giamati), and his engine is repossessed. He finds himself in need of a quick $5,000 (in 1916 money, too). Enter Lily and MacGregor, followed by an encounter with a jaguar, and the sudden appearance of a U-Boat in the harbor, and we are off and running down the Amazon river for the treasure of many lifetimes.
The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.