The Rundown [Welcome to the Jungle] *** (2003, The Rock, Seann William Scott, Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson) – Classic Movie Review 1376

Director Peter Berg’s 2003 action adventure thriller The Rundown, also known as Welcome to the Jungle, stars The Rock (also known as Dwayne Johnson), who comes on like Arnie on speed as Beck, an aspiring chef and bounty hunter. To pay off a debt, he acts as the agent sent to bring back a supposed bad guy from a Brazil rainforest. But he turns out to be his boss’s prodigal son, Travis (Seann William Scott), who is there searching for treasure.

There’s big trouble afoot in the Amazon jungle, as a rebel band, led by tough bargirl Mariana (Rosario Dawson), is battling crazy, evil gold mine owner Hatcher (Christopher Walken). After a lot of arguing and bantering, Beck and Travis end up teaming up in pursuit of the riches stored in Hatcher’s mine.

Written by R J Stewart and James Vanderbilt from the former’s story, this is familiar basic action movie stuff, no more than a B-movie. But it’s a good one as thrilling fights come thick and fast, there’s a funny sense of humour all the way through, and the star is as solid as a rock as an action hero. Scott is highly amusing, forming a likeable team with The Rock. And Walken, though obviously slumming, is a hoot.

No doubt giving his blessing to the project and to The Rock, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a cameo as a bar patron. Schwarzenegger was Governor of California when he visited Universal Studios during the shoot and was having lunch with The Rock. Berg asked if he would like to appear in the film and Schwarzenegger said yes if they could do it then. Berg said: ‘Within 15 minutes, we were on the set.’

The UK 12 cert is edited version of the film after, uncut, it received an original 15 rating.

Peter Berg’s game plan was: ‘Let’s give people old-school guys slugging it out with big punches.’

It was a box office failure, taking $80.9 million on an $85 million budget, with Johnson paid $12.5 million.

Berg and producer Kevin Misher were held up by armed robbers in Brazil in June 2002 while scouting locations so they decided to film in Hawaii instead and shooting began in September 2002.

The cast are The Rock as Beck, Seann William Scott as Travis Walker, Rosario Dawson as Mariana, Christopher Walken as Cornelius Hatcher, Ewen Bremner as Declan, Jon Gries as Harvey, Ernie Reyes, Jr as Manito, William Lucking as Billy Walker, Antonio Muñoz as Kontiki Rebel, Stephen Bishop as Knappmiller and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Bar Patron (uncredited cameo).

William Lucking died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 18, 2021, aged 80. He is especially remembered for Wild Rovers (1971), The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972), The Return of a Man Called Horse (1976), Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) K-PAX (2001) and Oklahoma Crude (1973).

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1376

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