It’s safe to say that the only Disney film based on a ride that is actually good is Pirates of the Caribbean, and even that lost its way at one point. Disney keeps making these films based on rides, which are stories themselves so it kind of makes sense but they have been more miss than hit, well my girlfriend will probably joke that Eddie Murphy’s Haunted Mansion is a hit. In comes Jungle Cruise with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Emily Blunt, yes the ride with all the dad jokes. Yet somehow, despite all of the world betting against it, Jungle Cruise becomes the second-best ride based Disney film.
Jungle Cruise or Pirates of the Caribbean meets Indiana Jones follows Emily Blunt’s character Lily Houghton who goes on an adventure to South America with her brother, played by Jack Whitehall, to find the legendary Tears of the Moon. The Tears of the Moon is a mythical petal that can heal any injury. In South America, she finds Johnson’s Frank Wolff who is a tour captain on his own boat. The trio set off to find the Tears of the Moon and they’re being chased by Prince Joachim, a villain played by Jesse Plemons, and the cursed Spanish conquistadors who are trying to break their curse.
It certainly isn’t as simple as the ride you’ll find in the Disney parks but the adventure here is pretty straightforward. To those paying a lot of attention and who are over analysing the film you may spot twists and turns early. I went into the film with low expectations, due to other Disney ride films, and left quite surprised.
Jungle Cruise isn’t a waste of your time really, what might be is the now announced sequel. As a whole Jungle Cruise has a great setting, great main characters and enough fun and adventurous adventure for family movie night. If Jungle Cruise was released say Blockbuster Video times then it would probably be rented a lot but in today’s world, it might not last as long as Disney might like.
There is one part of Jungle Cruise that I can’t get my mind off, why make the movie? Jungle Cruise is essentially Indiana Jones meets Pirates of the Caribbean. The villains feel like Pirates villains and even Jesse Plemons villain is a say it don’t show it Indiana Jones Nazi collecting trinkets in a foreign country for his ruler. Both Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean have films coming out over the next few years and Jungle Cruise may ultimately fill the craving people had for those films and it’s also strange that they’re all Disney films!
All of the similarities aside, because the film itself can’t really help that, Jungle Cruise is a great adventure. Does it have your usual cringey moments…yes. However, Jungle Cruise also has a great score, great chemistry between acting and doesn’t ever overstay its welcome. Disney are now back on the right track for their ride based films and I’m a little more enthusiastic about what they might bring next but Jungle Cruise is a great story on its own and it doesn’t need a sequel…that’s Indiana Jones 5 if it has a main female character.