Jungle Cruise appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The movie delivered a more than satisfactory image.
At all times, sharpness satisfied. The movie consistently appeared crisp and concise, with only minor instances of softness on display.
Moiré effects and jagged edges failed to distract, and the presentation also lacked any edge haloes. Source flaws created no distractions, so this remained a clean image.
To emphasize a period feel as well as the jungle setting, amber and green dominated the palette of Cruise. Within those restrictions, the hues looked fine.
Blacks were deep and dark, and low-light scenes came across as clear and well-developed. No problems emerged in this solid presentation.
In addition, the DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack of Cruise worked well, as it added a fair amount to the experience. Movement and integration were always good, and localization seemed positive.
Environmental material felt engaging, and the many action/supernatural moments added impact. Overall involvement was good, however, and the track blended together well.
Audio quality was always positive. Speech seemed natural and distinctive, without edginess or other issues.
Music appeared lively and full, and effects demonstrated good power. Those elements came across as taut and powerful, with nice low-end to add punch. The soundtrack deserved a solid “B+”.
When we shift to extras, we find Expedition Mode, a feature that runs along with the movie. It offers a text commentary that tells us about the Disney theme attraction, production elements, and factoids connected to the movie and situations. While not great, it adds some informational value.
A few featurettes follow, and It’s a Jungle Out There goes for 12 minutes, 58 seconds. It presents notes from producers Beau Flynn and Hiram Garcia, director Jaume Collet-Serra, executive producer Scott Sheldon, dialect coach Carlos Garcia, cultural anthropologist Dr. William Balee, costume designer Paco Delgado, makeup designer Joel Harlow, hair department head Adruitha Lee, and actors Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Jack Whitehall, Jesse Plemons, Paul Giamatti, and Veronica Falcon.
“There” looks at the theme park attraction and its adaptation, cast and performances, cultural choices, costumes/makeup/hair/period details, and Collet-Serra’s impact on the film. Though the tone feels fluffy, we get a decent array on notes here.
Undoubtedly Funny spans five minutes, 10 seconds and offers notes from Johnson, Blunt, Collet-Serra, Whitehall, and Falcon.
Here we learn how delightful the lead actors are. Yawn.
Next comes Creating the Amazon, a 15-minute, 14-second reel with Johnson, Blunt, Collet-Serra, Flynn, Giamatti, Garcia, Whitehall, Sheldon, production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos, marine coordinator Bruce Ross, special effects supervisor JD Schwalm, visual effects supervisor Jim Berney, visual effects producer Marla Neto Henshaw, and actors Ben Jenkin, Edgar Ramirez, Quim Gutierrez and Dani Rovira.
“Creating” looks at various sets as well as some visual effects. It becomes a competent overview.
Once a Skip, Always a Skip runs 14 minutes and features Disney Jumgle Cruise skippers Alex Williams, Kelly Small, Flor Torres and Erin Drew.
They discuss how they got their jobs and aspects of their experiences. Don’t expect any dirt, but we get some fun observations about the Cruise gig.
11 Deleted Scenes occupy a total of 15 minutes, 56 seconds. These deliver a mix of fairly minor character expansions. Though they offer some interesting elements, none of them feel important/essential.
Finally, an Outtakes reel lasts two minutes, 25 seconds. Expect the usual goofs/giggles.
Years in development, Jungle Cruise finally hit screens in 2021, where it landed with a thud. While not a bad movie, Cruise never becomes better than mediocre, as it lacks creativity and inspiration. The Blu-ray offers very good picture and audio along with a decent complement of bonus materials. This turns into a watchable but uninspired adventure.