Movies

Review: Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” Blu-Ray Offers Enjoyable Set of Bonus Features

Denise ,  ,  , 

Hi everyone!

We received the Blu-ray of Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” to review. I’m focusing on the bonus features, which are pretty substantial. “Jungle Cruise” stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt as Frank Wolff and Lily Houghton.

The bonus features pay a lot of homage to Walt Disney and the Jungle Cruise attraction at the Disney theme parks. The movie itself is just so-so for me. I like the bonus features more, especially the “Once a Skip, Always a Skip” feature. Here is a look at the various features with my thoughts on them!

  • Creating The Amazon (15:14) –In this special feature, the cast and filmmakers talk about creating various aspects of the film, including the  boat that is named La Quila, and share a look at how scenes were filmed in the water on a tank in front of a blue screen. The boat needed to have a lot of movement, including spinning and rocking back and forth so the tank had to be designed for that. They also talk about building a huge town to give a “wow factor”. Visual effects are also discussed. This is a really interesting bonus feature.
  • It’s A Jungle Out There: Making Jungle Cruise (12:58) – The cast and filmmakers throw it back to Walt Disney, with Dwayne Johnson mentioning how Walt was the first Jungle Cruise skipper. Then they move on to the current day, with Emily Blunt talking about the terrible puns Frank has to say while Dwayne Johnson is speaking them. “If I never hear another pun again, I’ll be thrilled”. Johnson says they wanted to make a movie that “respected and honored the ride”. Casting got all their first actor choices for the film. The various characters are touched upon, including Jack Whitehall as MacGregor Houghton and Jesse Plemonsas as Prince Joachim. There is also discussion on Trader Sam, and how the character became a woman for the film.
  • Once A Skip, Always A Skip (14:00) – Current and former Disneyland Jungle Cruise skippers share stories about their roles. This is a fun feature for those who enjoy the ride.
  • Dwayne And Emily: Undoubtedly Funny (5:10)– This feature showcases the funny side of Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in the film. Throughout the bonus features, it is very evident how much they enjoyed working with each other. The feature is like a mutual admiration society. Blunt says, “Dwayne Johnson has become my most enormous buddy in the world”.
  • Outtakes (2:25) – This is a pleasant but unremarkable bonus feature,  pretty standard outtakes.
  • Jungle Cruise Expedition Mode –  While watching the film, you can learn fun facts like that the Amazon River spans over 2000 miles in South America.
  • Deleted Scenes – I’m not usually a big fan of deleted scenes, but I found some of these interesting, especially how they ranged from finished to unfinished. For example, in “Frank Makes Tea For Lily”, you can see the water tank with the boat as they film the scene.

The “Jungle Cruise” Blu-ray is a nice addition to a Disney home video library, with a better selection of bonus features than many films currently receive.