Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Jungle Cruise review says the E-ticket ride movie flows with chemistry, comedy and fun.

Does anyone remember the old multi-colored Disneyland ticket books? The E-ticket rides were always the best, and had the longest lines. Now if you’re with me so far, I’m going to ask you to stretch your memory a little farther, and see if you recall which rides required an E-ticket.

Need a little help? The original E-ticket rides will surprise you. They were It’s a Small World, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Mickey Mouse Revue, The Haunted Mansion and…you guessed it, Jungle Cruise!

Which begs the question, is Disney’s new Jungle Cruise movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt live up E-ticket status?

My answer is an unqualified “YES!” It’s the best Disney ride movie since Pirates of the Caribbean— pure good clean fun with a surprising supernatural twist and puns…plenty of puns. What did you expect?

We begin with dedicated and delightful Dr. Lily Houghton (Blunt) who sets out on a mission to find the legendary tree that can cure all mankind of whatever ails it. The tree, and it’s curative blossoms, are hidden in a cursed location in the Amazon.

Accompanied by her dandified brother (Jack Whitehall, the most openly gay character in a Disney family film yet) she engages dubious skipper Frank Wolff (Johnson) to help her find the elusive cure-all. Along the way they must deal with villains including a greedy business man and a German prince (played with glee, respectively by Paul Giamatti and Jesse Plemons). There are also otherworldly forces attempting to thwart the crew in their quest.

Aside from some awkward closeups of Johnson in the beginning that look like he’s riffing with his jungle cruise passengers from a sound stage in Burbank, the film is first rate fun. Johnson and Blunt have terrific chemistry, ignited with elan. Director Jaume Collet-Serra, who is also helming Johnson in the much anticipated Black Adam, knows exactly what do with the rollicking script by Michael Green, Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, and exactly when to do it.

Much more fun to see on the big screen than the small, this could be the film that gets the whole family back to the cineplex. Fingers crossed that can happen.

Rated PG-13

2 Hours 7 Minutes

If this Jungle Cruise review makes you want to sale out the the cineplex, find times and tickets on Fandango.

And if you MUST watch at home, try making the Jungle Cruise signature drink, the Dole Whip, to enjoy with the film. Here’s the Dole Whip recipe – it’s easier and cleaner than you think.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Jungle Cruise review says the E-ticket ride movie flows with chemistry, comedy and fun.