Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse.
Jungle Cruise is a 2021 action-adventure picture with some supernatural overtones, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Edgar Ramírez. It is based on Disneyland’s theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travelers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals, reptiles, and the undead as they search for the mystical tree of life!
UNDER THE LENS: Meta Humor and Old School Action-Adventure
Meta Humor: Anyone who has taken a ride on the Jungle Cruise attraction at one of the Disney parks knows they are full of humor, with jokes that are filled with terrible puns, and observational humor that makes one groan and laugh at the same time. The picture takes all of this humor and injects it into the narrative, with The Rock’s tour guide acting very much like the ride operators. Telling bad jokes, and setting up fake hazards such as a Native attack or roaring hippos. Even the boat and riverside town look and feels exactly like the ride at the parks, as a viewer I felt transported back to my days as a child riding the attraction, it was a wonderfully nostalgic feeling. Many of Disney’s pictures are full of humor, and it was nice to see the humor has a meta element that called back to real jokes we have all heard and laughed at dozens of times as we cruise down the jungle river.
Old School Action-Adventure: I was struck by just how much Jungle Cruise felt like an old school action-adventure picture from the 1930s such as Gunga Din, it even had silent film scenes of the characters! The adventure pictures of that era had a bit of silliness to them, with characters who were bold, brave, and archetypal. Jungle Cruise deconstructs this somewhat while also fully embracing it. The picture delves into ancient curses, old stone temples, maps, and London Archeological Societies! The picture moves at a very fast pace from action set piece to set piece but does find the time to slow down in between to delve a bit into our characters and their motivations. In the end, the picture is about experiencing life and caring for others above yourself.
HIGHLIGHTS
The evil conquistadors are VERY creatively designed in their monstrous forms.
There is a clever twist having to do with The Rock’s characters that is surprising.
Emily Blunt is delightful as a perky and brave explorer, who has a heart of gold under her pushy exterior.
QUOTABLE QUOTE
Frank Wolff: If you’re lucky enough to have one person in this life to care about, then that’s world enough for me.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Have you ever wanted something so bad you would do almost anything to get it? What did you do? Did you ever get it, or did you end up giving it up?
CONCLUSION
Jungle Cruise at the end of the day does not really offer anything new, taking notes from Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean and Lone Ranger motions pictures to embrace a period piece with some supernatural elements. However this is not a bad thing, Jungle Cruise offers its viewers a fun, exciting, and humorous adventure through the jungle. Its warn familiarity is nostalgic and beckons you to be swept along its river to adventures unknown. The Rock, Emily Blunt, and the rest of the cast deliver good performances and are able to hold their own comedically and in action scenes. Jungle Cruise is about finding what is really valuable in life and never giving up, themes that I can’t help think are more important than ever in this day and age. So check it out! You will be glad you did!