Michael's Movie Grade: C+
A fun, though far from original, ride of an action movie.
So much of what makes this movie work is its leads. No matter what one may think of Dwayne Johnson as an actor he always executes charisma and likability whenever he is on screen. This natural charm has made even some of his weakest movies worth a watch. This film provides a role that is near perfect for him. Not only is the character of Frank a tough guy action hero, but he is also one with an incredibly corny sense of humor. Naturally a Jungle Cruise movie needs to have a lot corny puns and this is the character that delivers them. Much like the best skippers on the ride, it is Dwayne Johnson's delivery and dedication to this bad jokes that makes them so funny to us. Emily Blunt is equally perfectly cast as an adventurous and headstrong woman who is equally capable of getting herself into trouble and getting her self out of same trouble. To the character of Lilly she adds a feeling of fun and excitement needed for the character. Jack Whitehall helps lift a character that could simply be comic relief and unnecessary baggage into a very likable and fun addition to our cruise. To be honest in many ways the villain is not very interesting, but Jesse Plemons has so much fun in the role that you may have fun watching regardless.
The plot is simple and kind of cliché, but it never feels phoned in or forced. In many ways this movie can be reminiscent of older adventures films (The African Queen especially) in a delightful way. True you can for the most part easily tell where the film is going and there is little that will surprise you but it is a fun ride regardless.
At the same time however there are plot elements that don't seem to be given the proper time needed or just seem to pad out the story.
Surprisingly one of the film's weak-points is the CGI which looks quite fake and somewhat distractingly so at times.
All in all this may not be a great movie but for what it is it is a fun ride.
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