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On this Friday evening, Jungle Cruise returns to M6. Upon its release during the summer of 2021, First was pleasantly surprised by this adventure film carried by Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson (Currently back to the voice casting of Moana 2 at the cinema). So here's a little reading before seeing it (again) on television.
Interview from July 29, 2021: The adventure comedy Jungle Cruise is one of the good surprises of this summer, notably thanks to the alchemy between its two main actors: Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson. Two stars who also get along very well behind the scenes, judging by our interview with the duo in issue 520 of First (July-August 2021, with Fast & Furious 9 on the cover). Here is an excerpt.
Jungle cruise: Emily Blunt and The Rock, a fantastic duo [critique]
After Pirates of the Caribbeanit's THE new film based on a Disney attraction, does that add pressure?
DJ: Hmm… (To Emily.) Do you want to answer first?
EB: No, please go ahead. You're better than me on this subject.
DJ: Okay. (He takes a deep breath.) I think I speak on our behalf by saying that it inevitably represents an opportunity to be part of a story which, at its level, has accompanied many families all over the world, in their leisure time, their good times, for several decades. If we go back to the origins, the attraction has existed since 1955 anyway! Bringing this adventure to life in the cinema, and, we hope, establishing a bridge with those who experienced and appreciated it, is a big challenge. The other challenge was developing the film, which took a while. We had to know how to adapt the thing correctly, fleshing it out but without betraying the basic idea, to offer the best possible show. The objective is obviously to satisfy Disney aficionados but also to transcend the initial attraction in order to please everyone else. who will discover it with the film.
EB: You really did it!
What appealed to you about Frank and Lily, your characters? respective?
EB: I was really attracted to…
DJ: (He points at himself.)
EB: I was really into Dwayne Johnson, obviously. (Laughs.) I was seduced by Lily's mentality, her state of mind, her thirst for discovery, her optimism… She is a positive character. Every day she wakes up with hope. She also made me laugh with her reckless and imperturbable side. And then, she is ahead of her time… The action takes place in 1917, and we cannot say that she is a conformist! She has a sharp mind, she is tenacious, determined. Basically I think that's what I liked: we're far from the “role of the girl in an adventure film”. Besides, Dwayne is the girl in this film.
DJ: A big girl nonetheless. (Laughs.) This is one of the strengths of the script. Since the first drafts, it has been a scenario that I personally wrote; don't trust the credits. (Laughs.) I thought it was cool that it was Emily “Indiana Jones” of the duo. At her side, you have this captain who doesn't have the same point of view as her, for many reasons. I really like what her character brings to the tone of the film, and what she represents too.
Dwayne, deep down it must have been relaxing not to be the adventurer from the movie?
EB: Be careful, I'm not his boss either, it's still a pair, but yes, it's true that he is less defined by that side.
DJ: I liked it so far. The fact that my character doesn't have the usual stance you might expect. It's actually relaxing not to be the one who is driving the action all the time. In addition, he is someone who gargles a lot, who galvanizes the crowd, who promises to solve all the problems…
EB: Frank is very cynical, ultimately.
DJ: Yes, we can even find it a little “malicious”, in his own way. He's opportunistic, and can't be trusted at all… Just stuff I've never played before. It was exciting for me. Stick it to a “Indiana Jones” which is its exact opposite, it's interesting, even more so if it's played by a woman.
EB: We both got hooked on the dynamic of the characters, they are the antithesis of each other. As soon as they meet, you know it's going to be fun to watch and that there's going to be an African Queen Or To the pursuit of the green diamond. It's the kind of duo where each is truly the opposite of the other, in their way of thinking, their opinions, their identity.
DJ: This was really special to me, not just for those reasons, but because I've been a huge Emily fan for quite some time. But I wasn't sure I'd have the chance to work with her one day. Seriously: she started with monuments like Judi Dench while I was doing The Scorpion King…
EB: It's true, now that you mention it, I was so much more famous than you!
DJ: I was just a loser in comparison, I kept wondering: ” How could this happen? » (Laughs.)
EB: Whereas when someone spoke to me about him, I didn't understand who it was. “You're going to tour with Dwayne Johnson. » Dave how? Who is that?
DJ: “Dean Johnson?” » (Laughs.)
Comments collected by Yérim Sar
The full interview with Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson can be read in full in our summer issue, available by clicking here.
Summary of Premiere n°520: Fast & Furious 9, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kelly Reichardt, Paul Verhoeven, Cannes 2021…
The story of Jungle Cruise : Intrepid researcher, doctor Lily Houghton leaves London to explore the Amazon jungle in search of a miraculous cure. To go down the river, she hires Frank Wolff, a rogue captain as dubious as his old dilapidated boat. Determined to discover the ancient tree whose extraordinary healing powers could change the future of medicine, Lily embarks on an epic quest. The unlikely duo will then face countless dangers – not to mention supernatural forces – hidden beneath the lush splendor of the tropical forest. As the secrets of the lost tree are gradually revealed, the stakes become even higher for Lily and Frank. It is not only their destiny that is at stake, but that of all humanity…
Trailer:
Will Jungle Cruise have a sequel?