Skip to main content

A Review of “Jungle Cruise (2021)”

 

image

Jungle Cruise (2021) is another attempt at making a movie franchise based on one of their rides at their theme parks. The only real success so far has been Pirates of the Caribbean. Most of the time it is Tomorrowland (2015) or The Haunted Mansion (2003). The premise is “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”. So is this more close to Pirates of the Caribbean or Tomorrowland?

image

Firstly, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt truly carry this film. Dwayne’s scoundrel and charismatic performance surprisingly works well with Emily’s posh and outgoing performance. Both have great chemistry together and when they are both bantering with one another, it is enjoyable to watch. The majority of the movie is about the characters on the boat which is what the ride is about. So I do appreciate the fact that they did attempt to keep it faithful to the ride it was inspired by.

image

Jungle Cruise feels like a 90s movie but that is not quite a bad thing in this case. It is advertised as a fun family adventure movie and I do believe it succeeds in that aspect. There are some silly but fun jokes that mostly land and there are over the top action sequences that are fun to watch. We get the 90s comic relief guy and even over the top villains as well. For the most part, it does feel old fashioned but it works and I can definitely see families enjoying Jungle Cruise. There are also some really nice twists and revelations that genuinely surprised me as well.

image

However, the plot is a bit messy in its execution. For example, it takes quite a while for the Jungle Cruise to actually start and even when it has finally started, there is a lot of downtimes that don’t advance the plot. The film’s length is over 2 hours and it feels way too long. The movie could have easily cut 15-20 minutes of runtime and made it a better film, pacing wise. Dwayne’s character, Frank Wolff, is the cliche cynical and shrewd character who is initially unlikeable but gets better later. Jungle Cruise takes almost over halfway in the movie before he actually becomes likeable which was way too long in my opinion. Jungle Cruise also has a villain problem as there are two villains in this film. Aguirre, the cursed Spanish conquistador, who wanted the tree’s power to save his daughter but is now immortal and Prince Joachim who is some german guy. Both are chasing the protagonist but Prince Joachim himself feels like a giant waste of screen time even though he appears more than Aguirre. You could cut Prince Joachim and the plot is still the same, that is how irrelevant his character is.

image

Jungle Cruise (2021) has an abundant amount of CGI. It feels like CGI was the first solution to everything by the director and it shows. It wouldn’t be as jarring if the CGI itself was good. Unfortunately, this is not the case as the CGI is very noticeable and not great by 2021 standards. The shots, editing and cinematography are also disappointing average and never feel like it tries to do more with it despite it being a big blockbuster. However, the music score by James Newton Howard has got to be the most disappointing aspect of Jungle Cruise. James has done scores for many great films such as King Kong (2005), Unbreakable (2000), Fantastic Beast franchise etc. For some reason, James gives a very weak score for Jungle Cruise (2021). There is no soundtrack here that sticks in my mind and it has no iconic theme like Pirates of the Caribbean.

image

Overall, Jungle Cruise is a fun action and adventure film that is reminiscent of classic 90s films such as The Mummy (1999) but never as good. Thanks to the chemistry of Dwayne and Emily, the Jungle Cruise manages to stay afloat to keep you engaged but it certainly ends up being a very generic and forgettable movie. Nevertheless, it is better than a lot of Disney’s previous outings that were based on theme park rides. Not as good as Pirates of the Caribbean but better than Tomorrowland which is a huge step forward. 


 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A “QUICK!” Review of “Heart Eyes (2025)”

  Heart Eyes has the makings of a really cool modern slasher character. The killer’s design is pretty cool, and the concept of killing couples on Valentine’s Day is a novel idea. The movie even starts off well with some creative kills. However, the movie goes downhill from there. It turns into an incredibly corny romcom—the dialogue is sappy, and the characters feel cartoonish. The movie then whiplashes between romance and horror, as if suddenly remembering there’s a killer on the loose. At one point, in the middle of a chase, the characters start opening up to each other—which was definitely not the time. Meanwhile, the killer becomes increasingly incompetent, failing to take out the main characters. The comedy doesn’t land, the romance is bland, but the kills are at least enjoyable. Just don’t go into this expecting a full-on slasher horror movie.    
Post a Comment
Read more

A “QUICK!” Review of “Last Breath (2025)”

  Last Breath is a thrilling, anxiety-inducing telling of the true story of the 2012 saturation diving accident. The director, Alex Parkinson, is notable for co-directing the documentary film of the same name. This benefits the movie, as the events feel highly believable—Parkinson sticks to the facts rather than over-dramatizing them. Character actions and dialogue remain relatively grounded, reflecting the director’s commitment to honouring the real-life individuals involved. His inclusion of a timer is a great addition, elevating the tension. However, the film’s short runtime results in a lack of depth. We barely get to know the characters enough to care about them before they begin the dive. Additionally, the ending feels rushed, with constant time jumps after the dive. I wish the film had explored more of what happened immediately after the dive. Overall, Last Breath remains a very entertaining movie that respectfully represents the true story.
Post a Comment
Read more

A “QUICK!” Review of “The Prosecutor (2024)”

  The Prosecutor is an interesting film, as it’s actually a legal-focused thriller first and foremost, with the martial arts action coming second. I found this blend of genres to work surprisingly well, and I give Donnie props for trying something different. The movie features a phenomenal opening action sequence and an incredible climactic one too. When it comes to the action scenes, you definitely won’t be disappointed. However, the legal aspect—which makes up the majority of the film—is unfortunately a bit lacklustre and predictable. I wish the courtroom scenes had explored more of the complexities of the justice system and delivered more intense drama. It didn’t help that the villain was incredibly one-dimensional. Still, it’s an entertaining action movie overall, and this film does show that Donnie knows how to handle action.
Post a Comment
Read more