Film Review: Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’ Is Seafaring Fun for the Whole Family

Come along for a ride into the thrilling escape of a fantastical adventure inspired by the classic Disney theme park attraction.

Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” is a lighthearted take on the story of gruff, wisecracking skipper and riverboat tour operator Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), who search the Amazon River for a chance at changing the future of medicine and the fate of humanity as they know it.

Jack Whitehall is Macgregor and Emily Blunt is Lily in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Photo by Frank Masi. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Dwayne Johnson is Frank Wolff in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Photo by Frank Masi. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Dwayne Johnson is Frank and Jack Whitehall is Macgregor in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE.

Dwayne Johnson is Frank Wolff and Emily Blunt is Lily Houghton in Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Photo by Frank Masi. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

An ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities possesses the power to do just that, and the hunt for it results into an epic tale between an unlikely pair that encounters a multitude of dangers and supernatural forces, all of which lurk within the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest.

(L-R): Jack Whitehall as Macgregor, Emily Blunt as Lily and Dwayne Johnson as Frank IN Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE. Photo by Frank Masi. © 2021 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

After Lily and her brother MacGregor, a proper English gentleman who refuses to be left behind, hop onto Frank’s ramshackle yet charming boat known as the La Quila. With an artful intertwining of action, humor, and heartfelt moments, Lily and Frank manage to unfold the secrets of the lost tree. But it’s too soon to celebrate, as the next moment it’s not just mankind’s fate that hangs in the balance — it’s their own.

In addition to marquee-headliners Dwayne Johnson (“Jumanji: The Next Level,” “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”) and Emily Blunt (“A Quiet Place,” “Mary Poppins Returns”), the film stars two-time Golden Globe nominee Edgar Ramírez (“Yes Day,” “Carlos”) as Aguirre; Jack Whitehall (“Jack Whitehall: I’m Only Joking,” “The Bad Education Movie”) as MacGregor; with two-time Emmy nominee Jesse Plemons (“The Master,” “Black Mass”) as Prince Joachim, and Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti (“12 Years A Slave,” “Cinderella Man”) as Nilo.

A riveting film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, this enchanting screenplay comes from the thoughtful minds of Oscar-nominated Michael Green and Glenn Ficarra & John Requa, and is produced by John Davis, John Fox, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, and Beau Flynn, with Scott Sheldon and Doug Merrifield as executive producers. A thoroughly enjoyable film with twists and turns hiding around every corner — fun for the whole family. Be sure to catch Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” in US theaters or on Disney+ with Premier Access, starting on July 30, 2021.