JUNGLE CRUISE
Spectacular Disney adventure with serious content concerns for families.
Should You Watch It?
JUNGLE CRUISE delivers what its four-star rating promises: exciting escapades, beautiful action sequences, strong chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and plenty of humor. The movie’s Christian and redemptive metaphors about life, death, and resurrection give the adventure some moral and spiritual substance.
But the family-content rating is −2 for a reason. The film attacks traditional morality through its heroine’s rejection of established rules and its positive treatment of homosexuality. One sexual joke is especially lewd, even though the movie contains no obscenities. Scary cursed soldiers, snakes, jeopardy, and occult elements add further concerns.
Adults who can weigh those issues carefully may find a highly entertaining adventure. For children and young teens, choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1916, young English scientist Lily hires Frank, a debt-ridden boat captain, to take her down the Amazon River. She is searching for a legendary tree whose leaves supposedly cure any disease. Lily’s brother joins them, while an evil German prince pursues the expedition in a submarine.
The river brings one danger after another, including a group of cursed Spanish conquistadores awakened from suspended animation. Frank and Lily must survive the journey while pursuing the tree’s fabled healing power.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is a polished, entertaining adventure that succeeds on its own terms. JUNGLE CRUISE features many exciting, beautifully filmed escapades and plenty of fun humor, including puns borrowed from the Disneyland ride. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt have good chemistry, which helps their characters’ romantic feelings develop convincingly.
The movie resembles Disney’s PIRATES films, the Indiana Jones movies, and ROMANCING THE STONE. The action slows slightly in the middle, but not by much. Its chemistry is not as special as Indiana Jones and Marion’s in the original Indiana Jones movie, but that is a high standard. Overall, the craft and entertainment value are strong.
The Worldview
JUNGLE CRUISE presents a strong Romantic worldview that challenges traditional morality. Lily is a spunky heroine who resists the staid, corrupt male establishment of the Royal Academy, and the film treats traditional rules as rules that do not apply to her. Her theft of an arrowhead is therefore presented within that larger rebellion against established authority.
The movie also includes politically correct, feminist, and pro-homosexual elements. Lily defends her brother after her family disowns him for being homosexual, and the story treats her support as admirable. The brother’s characterization and his lewd sexual innuendo, however, make this material especially troubling. The film’s treatment of morality departs from a biblical view, even as some Christian, redemptive metaphors about life, death, resurrection, sacrifice, and a tree of life remain.
The movie also includes mystical and occult elements involving curses and magic. Its longing for healing and restoration points toward a truth the film’s worldview cannot fully supply: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong Romantic worldview with politically correct, feminist and pro-homosexual elements attacking traditional morality, which is based on biblical morality, mitigated by some Christian, redemptive, moral content, including some metaphorical references to life, sacrificial, death, resurrection, and a mythological tree of life, plus some <span class="TextRun BCX8 SCXW248472866" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun BCX8 SCXW248472866" data-ccp-parastyle="SingleSpacepara" data-ccp-parastyle-defn="{"ObjectId":"d7e8d6d7-086b-4865-896a-88869f418202|96","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[134233614,"true",201340122,"2",469769226,"Times New Roman",469775450,"SingleSpacepara",469777841,"Times New Roman",469777842,"Times New Roman",469777843,"Times New Roman",469777844,"Times New Roman",469778129,"SingleSpacepara",469778325,"[\"SingleSpaceparahangingindent\"]"]}">mystical, occult elements regarding curses and the magical
Foul Language
No obscenities, one light OMG profanity, one other possible light profanity, and two people get sick and vomit after a bumpy boat ride
Violence
Lots of strong and light violence with lots of jeopardy, some of it scary, includes boat comes dangerously close to going over a large waterfall, cursed soldier comes alive and is inundated with snakes as part of his curse, another soldier is inundated with bees, man is pierced by a long spear, but the spear is painfully pulled out, submarine fires at another boat two or more times, an explosion occurs, characters in danger of drowning, woman dangles on a ladder high above a London street, cursed soldiers are awakened and attack people, jaguar threatens people, snakes snap at people, people are chased by other people, fighting, narrow escapes
Sex
One main male character says he’s not interested in the women his family try to get him to marry and implies he can only “love” men, and he makes a lewd homosexual innuendo in one scene when he’s carrying a spear and asks the wounded hero, “Would you like to bite down on my stick?”
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Some alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or illicit drugs, but some natives put three characters to sleep with poisoned darts;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Stealing.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Lily breaks established rules in pursuit of what she believes is right. When should Christians obey authorities, and when must they refuse sinful commands?
Romans 13:1–7 · Acts 5:29The film presents healing, life, death, and resurrection through a magical tree. What kind of healing does Jesus offer that no earthly remedy can provide?
Mark 2:1–12 · Revelation 21:4How should Christians respond when a culture or story treats traditional morality as oppressive? What does Scripture say about testing ideas rather than accepting them uncritically?
Romans 12:2 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21The movie’s adventure includes curses and magical powers. How does the Bible distinguish between God’s power and occult practices?
Deuteronomy 18:10–12 · Acts 19:18–20The Final Word
JUNGLE CRUISE is a polished, funny, beautifully filmed adventure with four-star entertainment value. Its worldview and sexual material make it unsuitable for children and young teens. Discerning adults may still enjoy the journey, but families should choose something else. WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For family-friendly alternatives, see.
