My rating	IMDb		Rotten Tomatoes
	Critics	Audience	Critics	Audience
6/10	50/100	7.0/10	63%	91%

Numbers obtained from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes on July 30, 2021.

The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, released in 2003, was a huge hit and a surprisingly entertaining and fun event! Based on a Disneyland ride, it didn’t sound like the type of movie that would attract audiences across the globe. However, it became so successful that it had 4 sequels (the last two were far less successful and entertaining). The main reason for Pirates’ appeal was Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow.

Ever since Pirates, Disney has been trying to replicate the formula with other rides, like Haunted Mansion in 2003 (a cute but forgettable movie) and with Tomorrowland in 2015 (almost unwatchable).

Their latest attempt is Jungle Cruise, based on one of the most iconic Disneyland rides. This time, however, they have two beloved stars to draw an audience: Emily Blunt, playing Dr. Lily Houghton, who wants to go to the Amazon to find The Tree of Life, which is believed to possess healing powers that could cure all diseases, and Dwayne Johnson, playing Frank, a skipper who will guide her through the cruise.

For those familiar with the Jungle Cruise ride at the Disney Parks in Anaheim and in Orlando, there are many references throughout the movie, especially during the first scenes when we see Frank handling a cruise with tourists. Skippers at Disney are well known for telling “dad jokes” and that’s what Frank does too!

Even though the chemistry between the two main actors is undeniably wonderful, with a lot of banter, it is not enough to carry the movie to the right direction. The story becomes more confusing than it should, with a CGI way more on the nose than expected, and the score by James Newton Howard that’s so overwhelmingly loud and intense that it leaves the audience a bit tired at the end of it.

That is not to say that it’s not an enjoyable movie. It definitely has fun moments, and we can see it had good intentions. Jesse Plemons is absolutely hilarious as the German Prince and Jack Whitehall is also entertaining as Lily’s brother, who hates everything about the Amazon. Edgar Ramírez plays Aguirre, a Spanish conquistador, and he’s the character who most resembles the cursed crew in Pirates of the Caribbean.

As a Brazilian, I just felt a bit sorry that Brazilians were not involved with this production, as it would have given the movie a bit more realism (despite it being a fantasy story). For example, there’s a scene where Frank and Lily are discussing the price for Frank to take her to the river and they mention the amounts in “Real,” which is the current Brazilian currency. However, the story is set in 1916, when there was another currency (“Mil Réis”), and it is easy for Brazilians born before 1994 to spot that, since that’s when “Real” became the country’s currency. Details like that would show a bit more appreciation to the country where basically the whole story takes place.

Having said that, Jungle Cruise the movie is like the ride: enjoyable, fun, but not the most thrilling experience you’ll have.

Jungle Cruise is available in theaters and on Disney+ with premier access.