Walt Disney Pictures, Davis Entertainment, Flynn Picture Company, Seven Bucks Productions, TSG Entertainment and Zaftig Films’ Jungle Cruise (dubbed from the Hollywood film of the same name; UA) is a fantasy adventure film based on Walt Disney’s theme park attraction of the same name. The captain of a small riverboat, Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson), takes a scientist, Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), and her brother, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), through a jungle in search of the Tree of Life. Prince Jaochim (Jesse Plemons) is in search of the same Tree of Life.
John Norville, Josh Goldstein, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have written a story which does not offer much novelty as similar jungle and other adventures have been seen in several earlier films. Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have penned a screenplay which is replete with adventurous stunts, only some of which are exciting. Romance is conspicuous by its absence as although there is an attempt to show sparks flying between Wolff and Houghton, the romance is far from heartwarming. Some comic scenes get a smile to the face but the comedy does not evoke hilarious laughter. Even the climax is not breathtaking, may be because the visual effects and computer graphics are not very good.
Dwayne Johnson shines in the role of Frank Wolff. Emily Blunt is earnest as Lily Houghton. Édgar Ramírez is quite alright as Aguirre. Jack Whitehall makes his presence felt as MacGregor. Jesse Plemons is wonderful as Prince Joachim. His dialogues with ‘muze’, ‘tuze’ and the like instead of ‘mujhe’, ‘tujhe’, etc. are very entertaining. Paul Giamatti is first-rate as Nilo. Veronica Falcón (as trader Sam), Dani Rovira (as Sancho), Quim Gutiérrez (as Melchor), Dan Dargan Carter (as Gonzalo), Andy Nyman (as Sir James Hobbs-Coddington), Raphael Alejandro (as Zaqueu), Simone Lockhart (as Anna) and the rest provide average support.
Jaume Collet-Serra’s direction is quite nice. He has made an entertainer but it concentrates almost completely on adventure and does not have enough of other ingredients like emotions and romance. James Newton Howard’s background music is fair. Flavio Martinez Labiano’s cinematography is good. Visual effects and computer graphics should’ve been better. Jean-Vincent Puzos’ production designing is alright. Editing (by Joel Negron) is quite sharp. Dubbing is very good.
On the whole, Jungle Cruise is a fair entertainer but given the current scenario (cinemas in some states are still shut, cinemas in many other states are functioning at 50% capacity, restriction on night shows in many parts of the country, fear of the Coronavirus, etc.), it will do below-average business. In fact, it shouldn’t be a shock if the film bombs at the box-office.
Released on 24-9-’21 all over (except in Maharashtra, Assam and Kerala) thru UTV Software Communications Pvt. Ltd. Publicity: fair. Opening: very dull. …….The original English version has also released simultaneously.