Film Review: Jungle Cruise ('21, Dir: Jaume-Collet Serra)

 

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Directed by Jaume-Collet Serra

Written by Michael Green and Glenn Ficarra & John Requa 

Sometimes you're just "in the pocket" for a movie. I've been in the pocket for Disney's Jungle Cruise since I first saw footage at the D23 Expo back in 2019. Of course, that didn't mean I was guaranteed to like it. If you've been reading my reviews you know that disappointment is a very real thing. Luckily, that's not the case here. As a fan of both Disney Theme Parks and classic style swashbuckling adventure films, Jungle Cruise is playing very much to my interests. I firmly believe in the notion that a movie only needs to succeed at what it sets out to do, and while Jungle Cruise is of course not high art or intellectual cinema - this is a summer movie based on a theme park ride, let's be realistic! - I think it hits its marks with aplomb. I had an absolute blast watching this delightful, silly adventure movie. 

Borrowing heavily from films like The Mummy, Romancing the Stone, and Disney's own Pirates of the Caribbean films, Jaume-Collet Serra and the writing team are not here to reinvent the wheel. One could argue that this is a paint by numbers affair, with some unfortunate CGI and a lot of moving parts that don't always necessarily coalesce. They'd be right. I also don't care. Jungle Cruise brought me immense joy. The chemistry of the cast, the delightful and delicious puns (many taken directly from the ride), the frequently very pretty water and jungle vistas, the solid action sequences, the animals (I love Proxima!,) the general sense of adventure and magic - it all worked for me. Jaume-Collet Serra brings a real sense of energy and puts his own stamp on the material. He's not quite Gore Verbinski, but his style is still very much present in the film, and there are some unique, showy choices that give the film a sense of identity unto its own. Take, for example, the fact that James Newton Howard's rousing, bombastic score is at times complimented by Metallica. Yep! It's true. And it's awesome. I'm not sure how or why it works, but it does. 

Emily Blunt and The Rock are movie stars, and they carry this movie on their very capable shoulders. Blunt, in particular, continues to prove that she's one of the most charming and versatile actresses working, and she oozes charisma, intelligence, and wit. Her character, Dr. Lily Houghton, is a great example of a strong woman lead in a sea of men underestimating her. The fact that I've seen multiple "user reviews" lamenting this aspect of the film (oh no, more "woke SJW propoganda!") means they did something right as far as I'm concerned. You know what you're getting with The Rock, and he's a continual delight. Blunt and The Rock have lovely chemistry, and I'd be happy to see them work together again in the future. The entire cast is very charming and clearly having the time of their lives playing very over-the-top, hammy characters in this Disneyfied adventure sandbox. Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti, and Jack Whitehall are all given free reign to ACT to the rafters, and it's frequently delicious. I particularly enjoyed the way Whitehall's character evolves, and although some do not agree, and it is certainly a situation of Disney being able to have its cake and eat it too, I did like the way his character's sexuality was handled. It worked for me. I respect and understand if it doesn't work for you. 

Jungle Cruise delivered exactly what I hoped it would. It's a stirring, joyous old school adventure style movie. A little messy, sure, but all of the elements that I needed to work absolutely did for me. I have a feeling that this is going to become the perfect rainy Saturday afternoon movie to put on and enjoy the puns, the swashbuckling, the action, and the attractive cast and just have a good time. What a blast!