He is not only one of the highest paid, but also one of the most popular actors in Hollywood. With a mix of oiled muscles, massive charisma and the most expressive brow in show business, Dwayne Johnson went from WWE crowd pleaser to dream factory #1 to one of the last great action stars whose name alone is enough to lure the masses to the cinemas. How did it all start? Among other things with “Welcome To The Jungle”.
After Johnson asserted himself as a popular figure in the fantasy films “The Mummy Returns” and “The Scorpion King” after the turn of the millennium, the adventure cracker 2003 finally followed. the first real Dwayne Johnson actor, who is also one of his best to this day. The buddy movie, which is both powerful and quick-witted, wasn’t just made during the time the wrestler became an actor – that’s Johnson’s name on the DVD cover –, director Peter Berg also understood the strengths of merged with that of Dwayne Johnson. The result: an incredibly witty action fun, which is not only one of the best films for the author of this article to this day.
For example, if Johnson walks past Arnold Schwarzenegger in the opening scene, who only wishes him “have fun,” this scene can certainly be seen as a symbolic passing of the baton from one action hero to the next. In any case, Johnson not only had a lot of fun in the fight that followed, but certainly in conquering Hollywood, as Arnie once did. ZDF Neo will screen “Welcome To The Jungle” on April 15, 2023 from 10 p.m. and we can only advise all fans of entertaining action movies to check it out. Alternatively, the spectacle will of course continue DVD or Blu-ray* as well as a subscription to WOW:
“Welcome To The Jungle”: Pure spectacle!
At the center of the Amazon adventure known internationally as “The Rundown” is the giant Beck (Johnson), who finally wants to open his own restaurant. But for that he has to get his hands dirty again. His mission: to bring Travis (Seann William Scott), the son of his sinister boss (William Lucking), back home from the jungle. If he succeeds, he would finally have set aside enough money with the fee to make his dream come true. But when they get to the other side of the world, Beck is expecting an entire armada of thugs – and they’re not about to let Beck and Travis go just like that. Not to mention Travis doesn’t want to come along…
One thing is clear: Dwayne Johnson is the epicenter of Welcome To The Jungle and above all the action. After all, he was only about 30 years old and fresh out of the world of wrestling and thus brought with him the right physique to pepper all opponents in rows through the jungle landscape like Beck, despite the no-guns philosophy. That the whole thing is still damn entertaining and powerful almost 20 years later is due in no small part to the fact that besides Johnson, his counterparts could fight and, especially in close combat, gave each other something of nothing. Not only disciples of Dwayne Johnson get their money’s worth here, but also martial arts enthusiasts. And adventurers anyway. After all, it is also about the hunt for a mysterious artifact against an exotic background.
Johnson grabs the sympathy, convinces with downright insane stunts and with his excellent performance certainly ushered in what followed: one of the greatest Hollywood success stories of recent decades. However, one should not make the mistake of reducing “Welcome To The Jungle” to just the protagonist. While he contributes a lot to the entertainment factor – including the chemistry between him and Seann William “Stifler” Scott – it’s ultimately just one of many gears that fit perfectly here.
For example, we’ve got a wonderfully diabolical villain played by none other than Oscar winner Christopher Walken, the tough Rosario Dawson, who is much more than just a potential love interest, and of course the equally picturesque and murderous jungle as the setting – and by course director Peter Berg, who knows exactly how to use this stage. Yes, “Welcome To The Jungle” couldn’t be further from the downright down-to-earth staging of his later action thrillers based on real events like “Lone Survivor” or “Boston”. But Berg can also do it differently – and he convinces here because there seem to be no limits to his endless pleasure in staging.
Crazy fight choreographies, varied tracking shots, colorful sets, pithy statements and a lot of nonsense: Berg goes extra fast where possible and delivers an incredibly funny adventure, which is ultimately so much fun because it itself is not necessary. himself too seriously. And that suits Dwayne Johnson damn well too!