Dwayne Johnson doesn’t make movies for the critics, he makes them for his fans. For the most part, the star’s production line of big budget effects-driven blockbusters have hardly set the world on fire when it comes to widespread acclaim and top tier reviews, but they can almost always be guaranteed to do solid business at the box office, such is the global appeal of his onscreen persona and the strength of his brand.
Disney’s Jungle Cruise is the latest case in point, with the theme park adaptation currently on track to top the domestic charts with an opening weekend haul of over $30 million, much higher than expected when Jaume Collet-Serra’s adventure is also available to purchase on Disney Plus Premier Access. The Rock can always be relied on to bring his charismatic A-game to whatever he appears in, and his odd couple dynamic with co-star Emily Blunt is the undoubted highlight of the movie.
Critics haven’t exactly been bashing Jungle Cruise, though, and it sits with a completely respectable Rotten Tomatoes score of 63%. However, viewers have clearly taken it to their hearts, and Johnson hopped onto social media to celebrate the fact his latest effort had scored the highest audience rating he’s ever experienced during a two-decade career in Hollywood.
Just over 250 critics have weighed in with their opinion on Jungle Cruise compared to well over 1000 members of the audience, so it’s evidently faring a whole lot better with its target demographic. Should it fly high at the box office and bring in enough Premier Access revenue, then sequels are a definite possibility given the broad scope that comes with period-set escapades boasting two major names in the lead roles.
