Summary
Uneventful, and a frustrating wait for something to develop.
This review of Tragic Jungle contains no spoilers. The movie was released on Netflix on June 9, 2021.
Even with its runtime only being 96 minutes, it still feels far too long. With each shot taking its time before it moves onto the next, Tragic Jungle doesn’t have much going on in terms of plot. There’s a heavy amount of sitting around and watching the characters look around the jungle, which is not compelling to watch.
On paper, it has an interesting premise. Set in Mexico during the 1920s, Agnes flees from an arranged marriage and delves deep into the Mayan Jungle. Horror unfolds for the characters as supernatural spirits become evident in the jungle.
By the 11 minute mark, the story hasn’t progressed anywhere, and boredom will kick in, maybe even making some audience members switch off. What is a positive for this film, however, are the visuals. Providing excellent shots of the river, if a person wants to be amazed by a film’s setting, then Tragic Jungle may be for you.
Although there’s a glimmer of excitement once it’s 15 minutes in, the film slows down its pace again. Once again, the scenes are slow-moving, and therefore, when something does occur, it comes as more of a relief.
In terms of understanding the character’s agenda, there’s not much to work with. For the majority of the film, the characters are merely staring into space with only a few lines of dialogue providing us with insight. The gang that takes Agnes early in the film is often discussing their fear of their boss. However, the time spent listening to them proves to be pointless as the unseen plot with the boss remains just that, unseen.
Whilst the ending does have a level of charm towards it, with a reference to an old mysterious myth, it’s still not enough to bring any life into the film.
