Movie Review: Does ‘The Jungle Cruise’ Hold Water?

Although Disney’s new movie ‘The Jungle Cruise’ has already been out for several months, many Disney fans are only just seeing the movie for the first time this weekend due to its Disney+ release on Disney+ Day! With the release of ‘Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings‘, ‘Olaf Presents‘, and several other new specials, is ‘Jungle Cruise’ worth adding to your movie queue? Read on, because we’ve got the answer right here!

Credit: Disney / Variety

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At first glance, ‘The Jungle Cruise’ will look like a campy, funny, quintessentially Disney type of movie–and that’s exactly what it is! Anyone familiar with Disney will definitely find that this exciting adventure movie has exactly the kind of family-friendly (at least, at most points) hijinks, comedy, and action that make up Disney’s classic style. Anyone familiar with Disney’s good old ‘Jungle Cruise’ ride will also recognize plenty of heartwarming references to the attraction, including its famous “backside of water” line and the boat skippers’ trademark corny jokes!

Essentially, ‘The Jungle Cruise’ shines because it really excels at being exactly what it’s meant to be: a funny, entertaining, endearing action adventure with a romance that’s surprisingly well-done and a good mix of jokes that are not only surprisingly laugh-out-loud funny when they’re corny, but also jokes that have unexpectedly adult humor. Adults will be particularly amused by the sword-pulling scene!

Credit: Disney / Variety

Although the three main characters actually all stand out in their roles (making this movie a unique one, in that all of its protagonists are actually excellent), Emily Blunt of course takes the lead as she instantly captivates viewers with her beauty, charm, presence, and a very innate talent for comedy! After seeing Blunt in roles like ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ or ‘The Quiet Place’, one might not expect the English actress to have such a knack for physical comedy–but anyone who saw ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ or watches ‘The Jungle Cruise’ will definitely notice her comedic chops.

Blunt’s chemistry with the Rock, Dwayne Johnson, also stands out as a surprisingly sweet part of the film. Their talent as a comedic duo and their unexpectedly genuine, heartwarming romance is yet another thing that was not only unexpected but also extremely beneficial to making the movie feel warm, in-depth, and real. Dwayne Johnson does an excellent job as Skipper Frank Wolff, with many puns and innuendos that fans will love, and one character who ends up being particularly funny and who is actually a great addition to the storyline is Dr. Lily Houghton’s brother McGregor (played by Jack Whitehall). His prim yet flamboyant flair and his one-liners were definitely standouts in the storyline. The fact that McGregor also discusses his homosexuality in the film was also a significant plot point.

Credit: Instinct Magazine

In short, ‘The Jungle Cruise’ is an excellent adventure movie that manages to mix the classic Disney camp from previous adventure films like ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ with adult humor, classic puns from the Disney ride, and a boatload (pun definitely intended) of chemistry between the three lead actors. If you want a laugh-out-loud action-packed movie that will please everyone in your family, then this ‘Jungle Cruise’ is the one for you! And get ready for more, because a sequel is in the works. P.S. If Emily Blunt’s beauty as Dr Lily Houghton is something that you want to emulate, check out the exact makeup that was used on her for this film; we’ve got the details from her makeup artist!