A quirky academic and her out-of-place, ne’er-do-well brother team up with a grumpy but goodhearted guide to obtain a mystical object that challenges death — that is basically the plot of 1999The Mummy, and something thatJungle Cruisetried to shamelessly replicate. There’s a fine line between paying homage to a successful predecessor and bluntly copying its premise, characters, and even entire scenes in an attempt to recreate the successful formula, andJungle Cruisechose the latter.
By successfully mixing adventure, comedy, horror, and action into one rollercoaster-of-a-ride,The Mummylaunched its own genrethat many have tried and failed to copy since.Jungle Cruise, the Disney adventure film starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, was no exception. It copied multiple elements of the 1999 modern classic in a hope to recapture its magic but lackedThe Mummy’ssincerity, goofy humor, and chemistry between the cast that made it such a success. Here’s whereJungle Cruisewent wrong.
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The Ultimate Adventure Setting
The Mummyis set in Egypt, with its secrets, millennia-long history, and the mysticism associated with gods and priests — there’s a reasonIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arkhas the same enchanting setting.Jungle Cruisealso chose the ’20s era, a perfect time for explorers, but it settled for Amazonia as its backdrop. While this helped somewhat differentiate it fromThe Mummy, it might have left it at a disadvantage.
With its murderous flora and fauna, a jungle is an ideal adventure setting — just asthe latestJumanjiinstallmentsproved — but it lacks the mystical dangers, forbidden magic, and the dark legends that come with Ancient Egypt and makeThe Mummyso atmospheric.
The Charming Protagonists & Their Chemistry
Frank Wolffand (Johnson), a cynical, world-weary adventurer, andLily Houghton (Blunt), a brave academicdriven by her desire for knowledge, are clearly meant to be the new Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz). But while Rick and Frank are both heroic and physical, O’Connell knows when to run away, isn’t afraid to look silly, and is disarmingly honest — his charm and the lack of ‘butch’ is what makes him so appealing.
While Evelyn and Lily are both academics who were excluded from scientific societies and went on an adventure to prove them wrong,Blunt’s character lacks the child-like wonder, insatiable curiosity, adorable clumsiness, and a talent for getting into trouble that all make Evy so endearing to the audience. Where Lily is a stubborn adventurer, who can take care of herself in a fight, Evelyn is a proud librarian, venturing into a desert against all odds and logic. While she is in no way a damsel in distress, she knows her limitations and strengths, utilizing Rick’s muscles where needed.
Funnily enough,Jungle Cruiseeven mirrors the famous library ladder scene. Still, where Evelyn’s episode ends in a hilarious disaster that highlights the character’s awkward and relatable side, Lily showcases her fighting skills andIndiana Jones-like literal cliffhangermoment from which she emerges victorious. Blunt’s character comes closer to Evelyn inThe Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, where she was portrayed by Maria Bello instead of Weisz and lost a big deal of her vulnerable charm.
On top of that, Lily and Frank try to mimic Evelyn’s and Rick’s relationship dynamics that start as annoyance and develop into romance. Unfortunately, Johnson and Blunt lack Fraser’s and Weisz’s on-screen chemistry, so wonderfully seen in their hilarious bickering, awkward flirtation, and subtle hints at the growing affection. Lily’s and Frank’s romance doesn’t have the same gradual build-up and feels less genuine.
The Good-For-Nothing But Sweet Brother
McGregor (Jack Whitehall) is a noticeable copy of Jonathan (John Hannah). Both characters are the protagonist’s brothers, both are way out of their depth, both are somewhat useless but willing to help when it matters, and both are there for comedic relief. However, McGregor lacks Jonathan’s flair, dubious (or any explained) motivations for joining the expedition,and the goofing around attitude. In fact, he’s mostly helpless and needs saving rather than recklessly venturing into the unknown. On top of that, where Jonathan takes care of Evy in his own way, McGregor doesn’t seem to have the same touching bond with his sister, which takes away from his appeal and the role in the story.
Moreover, surprisingly, Whitehall doesn’t cut it when it comes to effortless humor — his over-the-top performance might make the character look silly but not as lovable as Jonathan’s.
The Menacing Antagonists
WhereThe Mummyhas greedy Americans chasing after the treasure,Jungle Cruisehasdevious Germans who are after the same artifact. The former has Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a resurrected, cursed, and immortal priest, originally bound to a sarcophagus; the latter has Aguirre (Édgar Ramírez), a cursed, immortal conquistador, originally bound to a tree. The main villains are both slowly regaining their human form (Imhotep is partially covered in scarabs, while Aguirre has snakes), were initially driven by love, and are out for revenge.
However, Imhotep is much scarier and more ruthless as a monster, who doesn’t hesitate to unleash the flesh-eating bugs, steal people’s tongues or eyes, or outright mummify them. At the same time, he’s weirdly more relatable as he’s still trying to resurrect his lover rather than simply avenge her.
The Mix Of Horror And Comedy
Weirdly enough,both movies have the same PG-13 rating, butJungle Cruiselacks any of the horror elements (aside from a couple of tree-grabbing moments) that madeThe Mummyso thrilling. The monster doesn’t convey the same threat level, there are no jump scares, and the heroes are rarely in near-death situations. Surprisingly, even the CGI monsters look less convincing and scary than the ones from 1999. All in all,Jungle Cruisetreads on the Disney side of things, clearly intending to attract the younger audience.
When it comes to humor,Jungle Cruiselacks the goofiness brought byThe Mummy’smain characters and even monsters. While Frank tries to mix it up with some intentionally bad puns,similar to Phoebe inGhostbusters: Afterlife, his delivery seems forced and lacks genuine awkwardness. As mentioned above, McGregor doesn’t quite match Jonathan’s charisma and physical comedy, and Blunt’s Lily takes herself way too seriously.
WhileJungle Cruisedesperately wanted to beThe Mummy, it failed to recreate the spark, the goofy humor, and the heart-pumping pace of the 1999 movie. Perhaps, it tried too hard to take the best from its predecessor andother successful fantasy movies, all the while struggling to establish its own identity. The result is an entertaining adventure movie, fit for an easy Disney marathon, which, while having its merits, is unlikely to achieveThe Mummy’scult status.
