Quartile rating: 5/10 · 1 rating
When Travis, the mouthy son of a criminal, disappears in the Amazon in search of a treasured artifact, his father sends in Beck, who becomes Travis's rival for the affections of Mariana, a mysterious Brazilian woman. With his steely disposition, Beck is a man of few words -- but it takes him all the discipline he can muster to work with Travis to nab a tyrant who's after the same treasure.
The Rundown is a solid, entertaining action-comedy that marked Dwayne Johnson's true star-making turn, but it operates largely within familiar buddy-action-comedy territory. The jungle treasure hunt plot is well-worn, hitting expected beats without much surprise. Johnson and Seann William Scott have genuine chemistry and charisma, elevating what could have been routine material, though neither is asked to stretch dramatically. The Brazilian jungle cinematography is competent and colorful but not distinctive. The film's novelty lies mainly in Johnson's magnetic screen presence rather than any bold conceptual choices — the formula is well-trodden. The ending resolves predictably and without much punch, leaving little lasting impression beyond the fun of the ride.