JUNGLE CRUISE – A Review by Cynthia Flores
This film is based on the ride at Disneyland that I loved as a kid. The opening voiced by Captain Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) sounded word for word like the story the voice I heard overhead as the boat floated into the ride. However, this action-packed thrill ride is definitely not for children. In fact, I wouldn’t let younger kids watch this unless you want to give them nightmares filled with snakes and creepy-looking undead conquistadors.
Disney Jungle Cruise tells the story of Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) and her brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall). Lily is a fearless scientist ala the infamous Indiana Jones. Using a relic Lily stole from the evil Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) in London, England. They take a rollicking thrill ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff. He guides her downriver on La Quila. That is the name of his barely put-together boat. With the evil Prince Joachim hot on their trail, they are in a race to get to the prized legend first. All of them are looking for a hidden tree with unparalleled healing abilities. It possesses the power to change the future of medicine, and Lily has a map to take her to it and the key to figuring out how to get to it hanging around her neck.
Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely team of Frank and Lily 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.
All in all, Disney Jungle Cruise is a great film and makes good use of the 3D format. Some parts will make you scream out loud. It has the same adventure magic that the first 1981 Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark did. That alone is reason to go to the theaters to enjoy this film. The only gripe I have about the film is that it has the Disney logo on it, and when you think Disney, you think it must be for kids. It’s times like this that I miss their Touchstone Pictures division. Obviously, teen and adult films like this and their recent live-action Cruella would have fit well there.
I give Disney Jungle Cruise a 4.5-star rating. It’s a great ride of a movie to finish this summer with.
Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra
Written by: Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 2hr 7min
Action/ Adventure/ Comedy
Theatrical wide Release: In theaters and on Disney+ July 29th
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
