They weren’t kidding when they said Disney’s Jungle Cruise was gonna be the adventure of a lifetime, and the new film kept that promise.
Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) enlists the aid of wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) to take her down the Amazon in his ramshackle boat. Together, they search for an ancient tree that holds the power to heal — a discovery that will change the future of medicine.
Disney’s latest attempts to turn one of its most popular and iconic attractions into an action/adventure blockbuster franchise have arrived in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access. The word on the theme park attractions has long been that your ride will be as good as your skipper, and with Dwyane Johnson at the helm of the film, we’re definitely in for a fun ride.
But we don’t see Johnson right away. It’s Emily Blunt who starts things off, introducing us to her character Dr. Lily Houghton, her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), and also introduces us to our Big Bad – the German Prince Joachim. Played by the brilliantly twisted Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad, Game Night). Plemons delivers a World World I-era version of the “evil German” stereotype. After all of this, we finally meet Johnson’s Frank Wolff – skipper of the Jungle Navigation Company’s La Quila. Johnson wastes no time riffing into dozens of jokes that Disney theme park visitors are all too familiar with. And yes, they do the “backside of water” gag.
Blunt and Johnson’s paring is perfection. They’re hysterical together and when the romance scenes begin to sprout, it progresses so naturally. I really liked the whole friends falling in love concept they used. The Mummy/Indiana Jones style infusion of history and archaeology is complimented by Disney’s stellar CGI and animation to give a wondrous end product and a potentially new and exciting franchise.
Disney’s Jungle Cruise had kept its promise of delivering an adventure of a lifetime. With Johnson and Blunt leading this film, viewers are in for a wild and run ride. My advice, please see this in theaters first, specifically in IMAX, before purchasing the Premier Access on Disney+ as this is a movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen.
What did you think of the film? Sound off in the comments.
Disney’s Jungle Cruise is now playing in theaters and streaming on Disney+ with Premier Access (additional fee required).
