{"id":7712,"date":"2021-08-03T13:47:59","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T20:47:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=7712"},"modified":"2021-08-07T15:21:15","modified_gmt":"2021-08-07T22:21:15","slug":"jungle-cruise-filled-with-humor-and-adventure-inspired-by-the-famous-theme-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2021\/jungle-cruise-filled-with-humor-and-adventure-inspired-by-the-famous-theme-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Jungle Cruise * Filled With Humor And Adventure Inspired By The Famous Theme Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.poster.jpg?resize=152%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7714\" width=\"152\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.poster.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.poster.jpg?resize=691%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 691w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.poster.jpg?resize=768%2C1138&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.poster.jpg?w=864&amp;ssl=1 864w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Join fan favorites Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for the adventure of a lifetime on Disney&#8217;s JUNGLE CRUISE, a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank&#8217;s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila&#8211;his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities&#8211;possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate&#8211;and mankind&#8217;s&#8211;hangs in the balance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, \u201cStarring such talented actors as Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Jack Whitehall, the film is inspired by the famous theme park ride and liberally incorporates details from it as well, like the boat captain\u2019s terrible puns and a reference to the \u201cback side of water.\u201d It\u2019s a great family film!\u201d Calee N. adds, \u201cI love how the Jungle Cruise makes the magic of the riverboat attraction from Disneyworld come alive. The humor and adventurous nature of the movie held my attention throughout the film. Movies with bold and funny female leads have always been my favorite.\u201d See their full reviews below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jungle Cruise<br>By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EfJEvdwFlPg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.b.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7718\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.b.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.b.jpg?w=576&amp;ssl=1 576w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Take a trip to the Amazon Rainforest in Disney\u2019s new, beautifully produced film <em>Jungle Cruise. <\/em>Starring such talented actors as Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Jack Whitehall, the film is inspired by the famous theme park ride and liberally incorporates details from it as well, like the boat captain\u2019s terrible puns and a reference to the \u201cback side of water.\u201d It\u2019s a great family film!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Set in 1916, <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> opens in London, during a meeting of scientists. McGregor Houghton (Jack Whitehall) is presenting to the crowd as his sister, Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), goes about her mission to collect a precious artifact from the archives. She ropes her brother, a rare gay character in the Disney universe, into the adventure she\u2019s been chasing since her childhood, determined to journey into the Amazon to an area called L\u00e1grimas de Cristal and find a magical healing tree called the Tears of the Moon. Lily hates the rough-around-the-edges, scam artist Frank (Dwayne \u201cThe Rock\u201d Johnson) as soon as she sees him, but she grudgingly agrees to employ him as their skipper down the Amazon, with the conniving German aristocrat Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemons) nipping at their heels. Many adventures follow and the characters, as different as they may seem, grow close as a chosen family. There\u2019s also a pretty unusual supernatural backstory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.a.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7717\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.a.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/junglecruise.a.jpg?w=576&amp;ssl=1 576w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As with any Disney film, the production quality of <em>Jungle Cruise <\/em>is incredibly high; each and every small detail in regards to the graphics and overall look of the film has been addressed thoroughly. This film\u2019s previously-mentioned punchy one-liners delivered by Dwayne Johnson allude to this film\u2019s origins in the theme park ride. The Rock undoubtedly, unquestionably puts on the best performance of the film, and his chemistry with Emily Blunt\u2019s character is what truly carries the film through some slow moments when the script seems to lose purpose. Viewers begin to forget the overall goal of the mission as plots and relationships mix. However, this problem only shows up in the last third of the film. Another major star in the film is Jack Whitehall. His character is especially significant given that it\u2019s one of the few instances where you can see an LGBTQ+ character on screen, and his struggles coming out in a rigid, heteronormative society are beautifully represented in a heart-to-heart with Frank. In summary, the cast and production quality take this film to a new level, while the script tends to bog it down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jungle Cruise <\/em>promotes teamwork, grit, the victory of good over evil, and, my favorite message, that no matter how different we are, there\u2019s always something we can unite over. We\u2019re always stronger together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> 4.5 stars out of 5 and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> premieres on July 30, 2021, in US theaters and for a fee on Disney+.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jungle Cruise<br>By Calee Nowak, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QtEjsT9LcMg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.c.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7719\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.c.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Junglecruise.c.jpg?w=576&amp;ssl=1 576w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I love how the <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> makes the magic of the riverboat attraction from Disneyworld come alive. The humor and adventurous nature of the movie held my attention throughout the film. Movies with bold and funny female leads have always been my favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em>, Lilly Houghton (Emily Blunt) searches for an Amazon legend called the Moon\u2019s Tears. Her goal is to find the legend in order to advance modern medicine. Lilly\u2019s fearlessness takes her to the Amazon River, where she meets and hires the comical skipper, Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson), to take her on her quest. They soon realize that they are not alone in their pursuit of the Tears. Together they face the dangers of the Amazon River and encounter the supernatural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The academic world did not support Lilly\u2019s pursuit of the Moon\u2019s Tears and she could not find funding or support. Her perseverance leads her on an adventure that she never envisioned. Although her strong willpower may be challenging to handle, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall) and Frank accept her for whom she is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/JUnglecruise.f.jpg?resize=225%2C95&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7715\" width=\"225\" height=\"95\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/JUnglecruise.f.jpg?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/JUnglecruise.f.jpg?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/JUnglecruise.f.jpg?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/JUnglecruise.f.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The messages of this film are about determination and acceptance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also learn that Lilly\u2019s brother rejected the calling of many females because he had other interests, and Lilly was the only person who embraced him for being himself.\u00a0 I applaud director Jaume Collet-Serra for creating a high-energy, action-adventure film with a fun twist. The talented cast with Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson and Jack Whitehall are all superb. The music by James Newton Howard helps brings accentuate the action of the film. The Amazon River scenes and supernatural characters are very realistic looking, thanks to the camera work by Flavio Martinez Labiano and art direction by David Lazan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. &nbsp;<em>Jungle Cruise<\/em> premieres in theaters and on Disney+ July 30, 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join fan favorites Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for the adventure of a lifetime on Disney&#8217;s JUNGLE CRUISE, a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton. Lily travels from London, England to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank&#8217;s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila&#8211;his ramshackle-but-charming boat. Lily is determined to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities&#8211;possessing the power to change the future of medicine. Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters innumerable dangers and supernatural forces, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the lush rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank and their fate&#8211;and mankind&#8217;s&#8211;hangs in the balance. <\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, \u201cStarring such talented actors as Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Jack Whitehall, the film is inspired by the famous theme park ride and liberally incorporates details from it as well, like the boat captain\u2019s terrible puns and a reference to the \u201cback side of water.\u201d It\u2019s a great family film!\u201d Calee N. adds, \u201cI love how the Jungle Cruise makes the magic of the riverboat attraction from Disneyworld come alive. The humor and adventurous nature of the movie held my attention throughout the film. Movies with bold and funny female leads have always been my favorite.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[2889,1001,1783,35,3729,423,3727,2568,1159,3726,3731,3728,1166,3066,3732,3730],"class_list":["post-7712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-2889","tag-adventure","tag-by-kids-for-kids","tag-disney","tag-disneyland-resort","tag-dwayne-johnson","tag-dwayne-the-rock-johnson","tag-emily-blunt","tag-entertainment","tag-jungle-cruise","tag-jungle-cruise-disney","tag-jungle-cruise-movie","tag-movie-reviews","tag-new-movies-2021","tag-the-rock","tag-walt-disney-world"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-20o","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7712"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7722,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7712\/revisions\/7722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}