Unleash your inner beast!

Welcome To The Jungle
2013 | Color | 95 Min. | 2.35.1 | UR | Comdey | 5.1 | The Salt Company

Source: Netflix Streaming

Director: Rob Meltzer

Writer: Jeff Kauffmann

Stars: 

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Adam Brody

Rob Huebel

Plot: 
Chris is a workplace weakling who doesn't have the courage to stand up to the slick office bully, Phil, who steals all his ideas, and he has yet to muster the courage to ask out cute HR manager, Lisa. Even Chris' only friend, Jared (Eric Edelstein), a sarcastic slacker IT guy who secretly monitors everyone's porn intake, slams Chris for being a sissy.

But when a team-building "wilderness seminar" goes horribly wrong, and unhinged ex-marine teambuilding coach Storm Rothchild gets mauled by a tiger, Chris and his co-workers find themselves stranded on a deserted tropical island with no rescue in sight – and someone's going to have to step up and take charge. Phil quickly proclaims himself "God" of the island – but Chris has Boy Scout skills and would be far better suited to lead the group if he could overcome his fear – of everything. Can Chris finally start acting like a man and face Phil, release his inner beast, get them rescued and get the girl? Or will Phil triumph, as usual while Chris cowers like an effeminate weakling?

With all the hype from F This Movies Film Fest and the movie Hard Target I was jonesing for a Van Damme movie in the worst way. I also wanted to pick something I have not seen yet. I remember the trailer for Welcome to the Jungle and thinking that looks pretty good. So when I was flipping through Netflix and stumbled on to this I thought why not.

The first act in this movie was horrible it took every ounce of life in me to continue. It really starts off as an Office Space rip off with a mix match cast. For the first 20 minutes, I kept wondering what did I get myself into. Then good old Van Damme shows up and I kind of wish he didn't. He looks so bad and way to old to play this type of part. Not the Bloodsport that I was looking forward to.

Once they land on this island and Van Damme disappears this movie gets better. Yeah, I said it he goes missing and the movie he is the star in becomes watchable. What is up with that?? In fact, I sat up and paid attention. The young cast started to gel and carry the movie quite nicely. 

With that being said, there is still nothing new here we have seen it all before but it becomes very watchable. Even in the third act when Van Damme show's back up. I liked the cast they played off of each other very well. The story was the same old same old, but that was fine. The movie is meant to entertain you for an hour and a half, for the most part it does that. So if you can get past the first 20 minutes this movie does its job.

 So for you Mr. Van Damage I give you...

3 Bloody Brains!