Jungle Cruise (a film mini-review by Mark R. Leeper and Evelyn C. Leeper).
Jungle Cruise (the movie) was based on “Jungle Cruise”, a Disneyland ride, so we weren’t expecting much, and were definitely pleasantly surprised. (Then again, so was PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and that turned out well.) It does add to the story some supernatural elements apparently not found in Disneyland.
Screenwriters Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra, and John Requa deliver a script that is actually well written and one that is more fun than usual. That quality of writing talent is hard to find these days. The script owes some of its intelligence and humor to THE AFRICAN QUEEN and ROMANCING THE STONE, as well as THE MUMMY (1999) and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. But there is nothing wrong with using classics as inspiration, especially when one expects many in the audience to get the references.
Dwayne Johnson is charming as Frank Wollf in a Charlie Allnut sort of way; Emily Blunt is a bit more openly assertive as Lily Houghton than Rose Sayer was. All in all, this is a fun movie.
Released theatrically 07/20/21; available on Disney+. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4), or 7/10.
