Disney offers up another adventure retread July 30

Above : Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt star in “Jungle Cruise,” which opens July 30. (Photo/Walt Disney Studios)

I keep thinking of the movie critic Brandon Katz who, in his review of “Cruella, ” was so gushingly complimentary – in a clearly backhanded way.

As he wrote, “It’s the first time in the last decade that one of Disney’s reimaginings feels fresh and exciting.”

It’s pretty clear that he’s referring to the Disney penchant for regurgitating its past animated hits with live-action, CGI-dependent remakes such as 2015’s “Maleficent,” 2016’s “The Jungle Book” and 2019’s “Aladdin.”

I can’t wait to read what Katz has to say about the film that Disney will be releasing on July 30. Titled simply “Jungle Cruise,” it’s another attempt to build a movie off of one of Disneyland’s classic rides, similar to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

Only this adaptation, directed by J aume Collet-Serra and conceived by your typical team of screenwriters, seems – based on the trailer at least – to support Katz’s contention: It feels less than fresh.

It stars Emily Blunt, so good in “A Quiet Place” but less so in the Disney misfire-remake “Mary Poppins Returns.” Her co-star is Dwayne Johnson, whose career has become half action (the “Fast and Furious” series) and half-children’s films (“Jumanji”).

And it seems, again based on the trailer, to be a cross between “The African Queen” and your typical “Raiders of the Lost Ark” impersonation. (Note: I came to that conclusion before I read a report that says the screenwriters actually did use both those films as inspiration. So maybe Katz is correct.)

But I’ve learned never to trust trailers. So I’ll likely see it. That is, I will if I can convince my wife to free up some of her “Snapped” -watching time.

How can we all watch it? Here’s what the Disney website says: See it in theaters or order it on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30, 2021. Disney+ subscription and additional fee required.

Oh, and in the trailer below, enjoy the attendant/oblligatory music (thanks, John Fogerty).