Jungle Cruise (2021)
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A cynical steamboat skipper and a determined scientist team up to find a mythical tree in the Amazon while pursued by a German expedition and cursed conquistadors.
The story
In 1916, Dr. Lily Houghton and her brother MacGregor seek the mythical Tree of Life to revolutionize medicine. They hire Frank Wolff, a cynical steamboat skipper who offers embellished jungle cruises, to guide them through the Amazon. The trio must navigate the treacherous river while evading a German expedition led by Prince Joachim, who seeks the tree for the German Empire. Along the way, they must contend with the dangers of the jungle and the presence of cursed conquistadors who have been trapped in the region for centuries. The quest leads them toward the legendary tree, which is said to possess the power to cure illness and lift curses.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1556, the conquistador Don Aguirre is cursed by the Puka Michuna tribe after he refuses to leave them in peace, making him and his men immortal and bound to the Amazon. In 1916, Dr. Lily Houghton steals an arrowhead to find the Tree of Life, and she and her brother MacGregor hire Frank Wolff, a man who is secretly one of the cursed conquistadors. Frank has spent centuries trying to find the tree to break his curse. They are pursued by Prince Joachim, who seeks the tree for the German Empire. After various skirmishes and encounters with the Puka Michuna, the group reaches the tree. In a final confrontation, Frank sacrifices himself to save Lily, and she eventually finds a way to break his curse, allowing him to become mortal. The film ends with Lily becoming a professor and Frank joining her in London.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 127
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jaume Collet-Serra
- Writers
- Michael Green · screenplay; Glenn Ficarra · screenplay; John Requa · screenplay; John Norville · story; Josh Goldstein · story; Glenn Ficarra · story; John Requa · story
- Cast and characters
- Dwayne Johnson · Frank Wolff / Francisco López de Heredia; Emily Blunt · Dr. Lily Houghton; Édgar Ramírez · Aguirre; Jack Whitehall · MacGregor Houghton; Jesse Plemons · Prince Joachim; Paul Giamatti · Nilo Nemolato
- Genres
- fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- immortality; sacrifice; discovery
- Tone and mood
- adventure; fantasy
- Premise and plot tags
- treasure hunt; alternate history; mythical quest
- Source material / true-story basis
- Disney theme park attraction
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box-office disappointment.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 52
- Production trivia
- The film's production was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.; The film's character Frank's puns are derived from the original theme park ride.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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