Table Of Content
Lacking its own identity, Jungle Cruise most closely resembles the Pure Flix version of itself. Those are just two obvious reference points for this fitfully amusing but ultimately hollow adventure comedy. The others are Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The African Queen, The Mummy (Stephen Sommers' lusty swashbuckler version) and Romancing the Stone. However, despite a game cast and some moments of high comedy and knowing charm, the film never crafts an identity of its own. While enjoyable enough for kids, the Dwayne Johnson/Emily Blunt vehicle merely serves to remind you of the other, better movies that followed their path and became stand-alone works of art.
Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads
Some banter over treating a wound—with Frank asking Lily if it’s her “first time”—is filled with possible light double entendres. Those petals would’ve been nice, given all the diseases that Conquistadors introduced to the New World, but no matter. Aguirre and his cohorts disappeared in those Brazilian jungles long ago, and the Tears of the Moon faded into barely remembered myth—a bedtime story for a few, perhaps, but nothing more. Not even Emily Blunt, doing her best Katharine Hepburn impression, can keep this leaky boat ride afloat.
Jack Whitehall
He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Like Vogon poetry, the plot of Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is mostly unintelligible and wants to beat you into submission. Manically directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, this latest derivation of a theme-park ride shoots for the fizzy fun of bygone romantic adventures like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981). That it misses has less to do with the heroic efforts of its female lead than with the glinting artifice of the entire enterprise. We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Casting
Both Johnson and Blunt are ridiculously good-looking people, and they have fun sparring chemistry. But the film seems afraid that letting Blunt show a hint of lust will negate her "girl boss" credentials while trapping Johnson in an overcompensating-MeToo mentality of being unwilling to flirt. The irresistibly charming stars help make this adventurous, occasionally swashbuckling ride adaptation amusing, if not as memorable as The Mummy or Pirates of the Caribbean. Johnson can make nearly any character likable; here, Frank's silly, punny jokes are also a fun nod to the Disney ride's vibe. Lily bucks social mores of the time by having a job and a Ph.D., knowing how to defend herself, and even wearing trousers (Frank calls her "Pants").
This tongue-in-cheek film is filled with hilarious scenes and will have your kids quoting lines of dialogue for years to come. But for him, he needs to be closer to someone to truly care for them—and he’s been looking for that connection for a while now. “One person to care about in this world—that’s enough for me.” Which is also a nice sentiment.
Jungle Cruise is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+‘s Premier Access tier. If you want to watch, you’ll need a subscription for Disney+ first. Then, you’ll need to pay a one-time fee of $29.99 to watch the film online. You’ll be able to stream the film as many times as you want once you make that purchase. According to the MPAA, Jungle Cruise is rated PG-13 “for sequences of adventure violence.” That’s a little vague, so let’s dig into the nitty-gritty of Jungle Cruise‘s rating.
Common Sense Selections for Movies
Meanwhile, Captain Frank "Skipper" Wolff (Johnson) owes too much money to the harbormaster (Paul Giamatti) and reluctantly agrees to transport the doctor and her brother/assistant McGregor (Jack Whitehall) into the dangerous jungle. The editing errs on the side of briskness to such an extent that affecting, beautiful, or spectacular images never get to linger long enough to become iconic. The CGI is dicey, particularly on the larger jungle animals—was the production rushed, or were the artists just overworked? —and there are moments when everything seems so rubbery/plasticky that you seem to be watching the first film that was actually shot on location at Disney World.
Why is 'Jungle Cruise' Rated PG-13? - Decider
Why is 'Jungle Cruise' Rated PG-13?.
Posted: Mon, 02 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Leaving aside the outcry over the casting of an actor who identifies as heterosexual, Brit comedian Whitehall is a likable presence, even if his posh blathering makes him more of a familiar type than a distinctive character. MacGregor’s account to Frank of his bumpy family history, being disinherited after refusing various suitable marriage opportunities because his interest lay “elsewhere,” is played unambiguously. But his gradual transformation from stuffed shirt into plucky adventurer is strictly by-the-numbers. In Frank's cabin, Lily finds his research on the Tears of the Moon, but Frank insists he stopped searching long ago. They are captured by cannibals that are actually the Puka Michuna tribe who work for Frank as part of his contrived jungle cruise adventure. Angered, Lily distrusts Frank and sets off to find the Tree herself.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Negatives aside, Jungle Cruise provides teens and adults with an entertaining ride which manages to deliver some positive messages about loyalty and courage and having a meaningful life. Sexual content is minor, despite one scene where the dialogue operates on two levels, one of which has sexual overtones. In addition, MacGregor explains his loyalty to his sister as a reciprocal response to her own steadfast support of him as he faced the challenges of being gay in that era.
Jungle Cruise movie review & film summary (2021) - Roger Ebert
Jungle Cruise movie review & film summary ( .
Posted: Fri, 30 Jul 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order. Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly. By the time Lily and fussbudget toff MacGregor reach the Brazilian port that will be their embarkation point, I was already growing restless.
The Tears themselves were a gift from the gods, it’s suggested, and Frank named his boat after the goddess of the moon (Quilla, an actual Incan deity). The history of the tears is filled with magical happenings and elements, too, including a very effective curse. Apart from that, though, there is little apparent hope of an afterlife, but rather eternal rest. Yes, the Tears of the Moon make a tantilizing bedtime story—one that Lily banks on being much more. But before this jungle cruise is over, she might be shedding a few tears of her own.
He helped search for the Tears to save Aguirre's daughter but sided with the tribe against Aguirre's brutality. After years of endless fighting, Frank trapped his vengeful comrades in the cave away from the river, petrifying them. Failing to find the Tree, Frank remained tied to the river, becoming a tour guide and building a village.
He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies.
She also has a refreshingly close relationship with her brother, who's posh and fussy but is still willing to follow her into murky, life-threatening situations. Other members of the cast are underused -- like Paul Giamatti as a local riverboat mogul and Edgar Ramirez as head conquistador Aguirre -- or they overact, like Plemons' caricature of a sociopathic German villain, Prince Joachim. The most pleasant surprise is that director Jaume Collet-Serra ("The Shallows") and a credited team of five, count 'em, writers have largely jettisoned the ride's mid-century American colonial snarkiness and casual racism (a tradition only recently eliminated). If you’re looking for adventure movies for kids, you can introduce them to Finding ‘Ohana, a story about siblings who set off on a treasure hunt in Hawaii and find more than they expect.
Whether or not you consider this scene a plus depends on your own sexual ethics. It’s the middle of World War I and young botanist Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) is convinced that she can find a way to prevent much of the suffering and death that is ravaging the world. Her late father taught her the legend of the Tears of the Moon, a tree whose flowers have healing powers.
