Jungle Cruise (2021)

Set in 1916, a British botanist (Emily Blunt) and her brother (Jack Whitehall) go to Brazil where they hope to find a legendary tree which bears flowers that have the ability to heal illness. To this end, they hire a rundown boat whose skipper (Dwayne Johnson) is fond of bad puns. Directed by Jaume Collet Serra (THE SHALLOWS), this expensive movie (200 million budget) is yet another Disney movie based on their theme park rides. It's a mindless (not necessarily a putdown) fusion of THE AFRICAN QUEEN and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK that has a lazy screenplay and more CGI than I've seen in years. Nothing looks real from the lush Amazon to the CGI jaguars, snakes and bees! In addition, we're saddled with an inane bad guy (Jesse Plemons) and an annoying gay brother (Whitehall). The three screenwriters didn't even bother to fact check. The film is set in 1916 and Johnson makes a joke about orange juice concentrate which wasn't invented until 1942! On the upside, they may not be Bogart and Hepburn but Johnson and Blunt are so damn likable that their presence covers up a multitude of sins. Complaints aside, it's highly watchable but forgettable. Apparently it was enough of a success that a sequel is in the works. With Paul Giamatti and Edgar Ramirez.