Sunday, August 9, 2020

Jumping Ship

Stephanie Bradt: Horse Sense must have done well enough for the Disney Channel, as its sequel, Jumping Ship, was released two years later in 2001. This time, all three Lawrence Brothers star. Tommy is still caring for the horses on the family ranch and missing his deceased father, now with the added drama of Mark, his mother’s new love interest. Mark seems like a nice guy, but Tommy wants nothing to do with him because he does not want anyone to replace his dad. Meanwhile back in California, Michael is still a lazy, but loveable dirtbag. We first see him wading in his family’s swimming pool as his father implores him to get a job. One of the things Michael is spending his Daddy’s money on is his upcoming trip to Australia with Tommy.

Things don’t start out great in Australia. Michael thinks he rented a yacht but is surprised and disappointed to find that the Tiffany is a crappy old boat. Its captain is Jake Hunter, played by the long-lost middle Lawrence brother, Matthew! Anyway, while Michael putters around as his snobby-Michael self, Tommy and Jake bond. Then Michael finally realizes that he was pickpocketed and does not have the money to pay for the boat, which causes even more tension between him and Jake. 

It seems like this is already the vacation from hell, but all this drama takes a back seat when, cue Jack Sparrow’s theme, three Australian pirates try to take over the ship. Yes, it turns out the pickpocketer is also part of a pirate. The Lawrence brothers need to work together to out-run and out-smart the pirates and get home safely.

  • I wasn’t a fan of this movie. I usually love stuff with deserted island survival, but I had no need for the extreme Disney corniness of the goofy Australian pirates, random crocodile, and crazy emu. 
  • This time, the brothers are credited as Joseph, Matthew, and Andrew instead of Joey and Andy from the last movie. They clearly mean business with this one. Some serious thespians right there.
  • Matthew portrays Jake Hunter in this movie, fresh off his stint on Boy Meets World playing Jack Hunter.
  • I vaguely remember when they were advertising this movie on the Disney Channel. I kept understanding the phrase "jumping ship" as a ship that was jumping. Not that there are people who are jumping ship, as the saying goes. I don't know. The jury is out on if I was a moron or not. 
  • I prefer the more character-driven Horse Sense, as Jumping Ship relied more on high stakes action and Disney danger. But maybe I am just old. 
  • Disney is clearly highlighting the shirtless Lawrence boys. I feel like that drove the decision to set half of this film on a tropical island.
  • Why are the pirates so obsessed with these guys in particular? I know they were after Michael’s family’s money, but really? There is no one else to prey on? And I thought the open sea was a pirate’s home field advantage; continuing their terrorism on a mysterious island just seems like a lot of work. I feel like it would have been more worth their time if they had waited until Michael went home and then emailed him as a Nigerian prince. I think they would have been successful, as Michael is not the brightest crayon in the box. 
  • Once again Michael’s “redemption” has me scratching my head. After the boys thwart the pirates and escape to the safety of the Australian mainland, Michael is like “hey guys, I used our reward money to buy the pirates’ boat! We own a charter company now!” Just like in Horse Sense, where Michael “helps” by shoving the ranch that Aunt Jules doesn’t want back in her face, he unilaterally decides that the three of them, who live in different parts of the world, are going into business together. Not to mention he met Jake like five minutes ago. Or that four minutes ago, Jake told him that he doesn’t even like working 
Jordan Bradt: I really liked Horse Sense.  This one?  Not so much.  It was nice as a family movie.  I guess.  My son was bored through the whole thing, but he's 3.  I was also bored during some parts and I'm 32.  
  • What was up with the pirates?  They were quite classy looking.  Are pirates always that clean?  Why are there always pirates in these movies?  I know that was tjhe point of the movie, but how common are pirates in real life?
  • Clearly Joey learned nothing in the first movie.  He was just as shallow.  I would have liked to see more character development.  He was on his phone for the first half ignoring his poor cousin - again.  The ending too was dumb.  He never learned anything.  He just jumps into things.  Heh, "jumping ship."
  • Jake was blah.  I didn't get him.  He was pretty rude through the entire movie, and I don't think they deserved it.  I get that Joey was kind of a jerk, but he was also misled.  Jake could have been a lot nicer.  They were his customers.  The tension between them seemed needless.  Jake also seemed pretty young to man his own boat, even though we do get some backstory for the character.  
  • I thought the kid's name was Ben up until the end.  His name was Tommy.  He explains about the ranch he and his mom work now, without owning it, and he didn't sound happy.  I don't think Joey's plan in Horse Sense was good at all.
  • Why exactly did Jake have to abandon the?  Why didn't he think the pirates would see them on the deserted island?  Wouldn't it have been better to not get off onto the deserted island?  Then again, I'm not a boat captain, so I don't know.
  • Maybe this was more of a boy movie?  
  • Joey had really good cell service out in the ocean surrounding Australia.  
  • Are you supposed to put on so many seasick patches?

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