Jungle Cruise (B or 3/4 stars)
Not unlike the wildly popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction/films, 'Jungle Cruise' - based on the popular Disney theme park ride - is a frenetically fun fantasy-adventure flick for summertime viewing. I'd say that kids & teenagers will get the most out of the silly, colorful goings-on, but the witty banter & effervescent chemistry btwn. leads Emily Blunt & Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson should delight adults, as well.
Set in 1916, this film (directed by Jaume Collet-Serra) opens with fearless, daredevil botanist Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt) sneaking into a snobbish science society & stealing an ancient totem from the misogynistic British Explorers' Club {a brilliantly staged scene made-up of mostly silent physical comedy}. This artifact is believed to be the key to finding the Tears of the Moon, a sacred, legendary tree hidden in the Amazon jungle whose flower petals have miraculous healing powers. Following in the footsteps of 16th c. conquistador Aguirre (Edgar Ramirez), Lily & her dandy brother, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) set-off to the Amazon. There, Lily searches for a man named Nilo (Paul Giamatti) who can provide transport deep into the jungle.
To that, she hires reluctant bold-&-brash skipper Frank Wolff ("The Rock") to guide them down the treacherous river on his rickety old tour boat, La Quila; his pet jaguar Proxima accompanies them. Along the way, our oil & water heroines Lily & Frank must avoid the menacing Amazon {tribes, mystical creatures}, villainous Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) who also covets the tree's supernatural powers {so as to help his native Germany win WWI}, & a group of 400 yr. old conquistadors who need the flower's petals to reverse their immortal curse. Disney-infused frivolity ensues.
'Jungle Cruise' is a mixed bag, for me, of humorous highs, ludicrous lows, and it is all thankfully buoyed by the irresistible charms of its lead stars -- more on them later. I wouldn't call this film a soaring success, but it is an undemanding, moderately entertaining bit of old-fashioned escapism. As is the case with most films lately, it's a good 15 minutes too long; at least. And I didn't expect some of the more convoluted supernatural/fantasy plotting that unfolds. But as mentioned above, Blunt & Johnson's odd-couple "I hate you, but I'll eventually warm to you" vibe keeps things afloat.
As Frank, Dwayne Johnson's pun jokes are a humorous nod to the Disney ride's vibe -- he's such a lovable goofball. And Blunt is perfectly cast as the intrepid Lily; who bucks social mores of the time, defends herself physically & even wears trousers {Frank refers to her as "Pants" throughout, & she calls him "Skippy", referring to his captain skills}. She has an infectious personality & just lights up the screen; delivering emotions that range from fear to joy to empathy to amusement & back. It all feels so genuine. I also liked her relationship with her brother, who is a posh fussbudget, but still at her side during the film's more life-threatening happenings. The great Paul Giamatti embraces the silliness of his riverboat mogul; but boy, is he underused. Similarly underused is Edgar Ramirez as the head conquistador. And Jesse Plemons gets to chew some scenery as the sociopathic Prince Joachim; hell bent on getting those magical flowers to aid Germany's war efforts.
Another strong suit of this production is Flavio Labiano's bright & colorful cinematography, the immersive period design, Paco Delgado's costumes, James Newton Howard's lush music score, the 'anything can happen in the jungle' landscapes, & the special effects - while often too dizzying & pixelated - impress, as well. Flora & Fauna are interwoven within the corporeal presence of so many human & animalistic creatures; kinda reminding me of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. I marveled at the sequence when Frank must maneuver his boat through wild rapids away from a waterfall; it all defies logic & gravity, but I marveled in any case. And director Collet-Serra should be applauded for honoring the Disney ride, while also making sure to organically include themes of gender, class & discrimination.
'Jungle Cruise' is good enough that I'd be down for a sequel, but simply to watch Blunt & Johnson evolve as adventure partners. They elevate the story & made me gloss over some of the missteps that I mention above. I wouldn't say that this movie is as great as, say, Romancing the Stone, the 1st Pirate film, the Indiana Jones masterpieces or, let's say, The Mummy ... but this film genially reminded me of those films. And I'm down for more like 'em.
Set in 1916, this film (directed by Jaume Collet-Serra) opens with fearless, daredevil botanist Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt) sneaking into a snobbish science society & stealing an ancient totem from the misogynistic British Explorers' Club {a brilliantly staged scene made-up of mostly silent physical comedy}. This artifact is believed to be the key to finding the Tears of the Moon, a sacred, legendary tree hidden in the Amazon jungle whose flower petals have miraculous healing powers. Following in the footsteps of 16th c. conquistador Aguirre (Edgar Ramirez), Lily & her dandy brother, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) set-off to the Amazon. There, Lily searches for a man named Nilo (Paul Giamatti) who can provide transport deep into the jungle.
To that, she hires reluctant bold-&-brash skipper Frank Wolff ("The Rock") to guide them down the treacherous river on his rickety old tour boat, La Quila; his pet jaguar Proxima accompanies them. Along the way, our oil & water heroines Lily & Frank must avoid the menacing Amazon {tribes, mystical creatures}, villainous Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) who also covets the tree's supernatural powers {so as to help his native Germany win WWI}, & a group of 400 yr. old conquistadors who need the flower's petals to reverse their immortal curse. Disney-infused frivolity ensues.
'Jungle Cruise' is a mixed bag, for me, of humorous highs, ludicrous lows, and it is all thankfully buoyed by the irresistible charms of its lead stars -- more on them later. I wouldn't call this film a soaring success, but it is an undemanding, moderately entertaining bit of old-fashioned escapism. As is the case with most films lately, it's a good 15 minutes too long; at least. And I didn't expect some of the more convoluted supernatural/fantasy plotting that unfolds. But as mentioned above, Blunt & Johnson's odd-couple "I hate you, but I'll eventually warm to you" vibe keeps things afloat.
As Frank, Dwayne Johnson's pun jokes are a humorous nod to the Disney ride's vibe -- he's such a lovable goofball. And Blunt is perfectly cast as the intrepid Lily; who bucks social mores of the time, defends herself physically & even wears trousers {Frank refers to her as "Pants" throughout, & she calls him "Skippy", referring to his captain skills}. She has an infectious personality & just lights up the screen; delivering emotions that range from fear to joy to empathy to amusement & back. It all feels so genuine. I also liked her relationship with her brother, who is a posh fussbudget, but still at her side during the film's more life-threatening happenings. The great Paul Giamatti embraces the silliness of his riverboat mogul; but boy, is he underused. Similarly underused is Edgar Ramirez as the head conquistador. And Jesse Plemons gets to chew some scenery as the sociopathic Prince Joachim; hell bent on getting those magical flowers to aid Germany's war efforts.
Another strong suit of this production is Flavio Labiano's bright & colorful cinematography, the immersive period design, Paco Delgado's costumes, James Newton Howard's lush music score, the 'anything can happen in the jungle' landscapes, & the special effects - while often too dizzying & pixelated - impress, as well. Flora & Fauna are interwoven within the corporeal presence of so many human & animalistic creatures; kinda reminding me of The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. I marveled at the sequence when Frank must maneuver his boat through wild rapids away from a waterfall; it all defies logic & gravity, but I marveled in any case. And director Collet-Serra should be applauded for honoring the Disney ride, while also making sure to organically include themes of gender, class & discrimination.
'Jungle Cruise' is good enough that I'd be down for a sequel, but simply to watch Blunt & Johnson evolve as adventure partners. They elevate the story & made me gloss over some of the missteps that I mention above. I wouldn't say that this movie is as great as, say, Romancing the Stone, the 1st Pirate film, the Indiana Jones masterpieces or, let's say, The Mummy ... but this film genially reminded me of those films. And I'm down for more like 'em.