With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt at the helm, there’s much to like about Disney’s Jungle Cruise before the opening sequences run.
The A-list pair are among the safest hands in Hollywood at the moment and emerge as a great on-screen combination for this light-hearted and fun summer blockbuster.
Sure, Jungle Cruise is pretty limited. But it manages to find a pleasing sweet spot between the hugely successful Pirates of The Caribbean films and The Mummy offerings of the late 1990s/early 2000s.
Based on the ride at various Disney theme parks worldwide, Jungle Cruise never pretends to be anything other than a fun adventure caper film.
Set during World War I (if only to crowbar in some German bad guys) it’s all very light-hearted from the off, as we’re introduced to Blunt’s Dr Lily Houghton.
With brother MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) on distraction duties, the pair manage to steal an artefact that leads them towards a legendary healing tree deep in the heart of the Amazon in Brazil.
With a very hammy Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) on their tail, they seek out wise-cracking sailor Frank Wolff (Johnson) and task him with delivering them to one of the most dangerous areas on the vast map.
Never taking themselves too seriously, Johnson and Blunt have instant chemistry and are great in their respective roles.
Credit, too, to Whitehall who offers plenty of camp comic relief and always feels like he belongs in what is his biggest film role yet.
There’s action galore on what proves to be a very eventful cruise, with the likes of Paul Giamatti and Edgar Ramirez also impressing in smaller, but significant, roles.
Running at around two hours, Jungle Cruise never outstays its welcome and is an enjoyable family offering that is impossible not to enjoy in some capacity.
It should be noted, though, that we’re not talking about a classic Disney offering here.
While Blunt and Johnson are very enjoyable throughout, the closing stages do get a bit choppy.
None more so than the villains of the piece, who are pretty rubbish at times.
You can forgive Jungle Cruise its shortcomings, though, given that it never tries to be anything other than fun.
Although it’s available to watch on Disney+ via Premium access (£19.99), it is certainly a film that is best watched on the big screen.
With laughs aplenty, action galore and great performances from the lead cast, this is one to enjoy with the family.
Voice Verdict: 7/10 (reviewed at Boston Savoy)
+ Blunt and Johnson are great together
+ Funny and full of action
+ One for all of the family
– Villains are a bit rubbish
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