Dwayne Johnson established himself in Hollywood with this explosive action-adventure flick that continues to be among his best films

Amazon treasure (The Rundown, 2003), which was also known internationally with a welcome to the jungle was a standout comedy-action film that certified Peter Berg as one of the most trusted directors in American commercial cinema and just launched the career of Dwayne Johnson, at the time still credited as The Rockwho shared the screen with young movie star Seann William Scott, with whom he would coincide again in Southland Tales (2006).

The cast was full of big names like Christopher Walken, Rosario Dawson and William Lucking, while Johnson played a bounty hunter who travels to Brazil to retrieve his boss’ son to pay off a debt. During his journey, he finds Helldorado, the name originally thought of for the film, a town deep in the Amazon jungle, whose convict he meets (Scott) discovering that he is a scavenger in search of treasure, then the two will form a team. to try to find a mine full of gold.

Dwayne Johnson’s Roof Break

The film was released by Universal Pictures and under the Columbia Pictures label internationally on September 26, 2003, and grossed $80.9 million on an $85 budget. time has given it more character, placing it among The Rock’s best and strongest filmsso much so that the new notoriety that has taken hold of the actor’s growing popularity highlights the flaccidity for all audiences of some of his later works.

The idea of ​​making a buddy movie came to Berg when watched the fight between Roddy Piper and Keith David on They Are Alive (They Live, 1988):

It just hurt to look at him. It was a completely different style from all those fantasy films. And thinking back, I can’t remember the last time in a fight movie where I felt pain, where if you get hit in the face, it hurts. I found my wiggle room: let’s give people old school guys who fight with big punches.

And that’s why, what better than to hire Dwayne Johnson, still bored in Hollywood after his role in the franchise The Mummy. Although his cache has already exploded, he received no less than 12.5 million for the film, but he helped to redefine the tone. According to Berg, the intention was for it to be much darker and their playful and fun dynamic is almost a tribute to The Rockin his words a charming, charismatic and very intelligent man”.

A relentless western adventure

Almost entering the governor’s race, Arnold Schwarzenegger made an appearance in the film while visiting Universal Studios during filming.. While eating with The Rock, Berg asked him if he would like to appear in the film and Schwarzenegger told him that if it was then, yes, so the director moved his team and within 15 minutes they were on. the tray. The appearance in the film is now very significant, since looks like the old action star is passing the baton to the new.

Written by James Vanderbilt there R.StuartAmazon treasure was described by producer Kevin Misher as In Search of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark, 1980) and After the Green Heart (Romancing the Stone, 1984) with a little Midnight Run (Midnight Run, 1988) and the truth is that it’s a great definition of what can be found in the film, except that it has a more violent touch and the madness of the action films featuring the big musclemen of the 90s.

There are classic scenes like Johnson and Scott falling off the side of a mountain and the chemistry between the actors is phenomenal, but The most spectacular part is the final assault, a mini-western in a Brazilian city that was ahead of (and far better than) the whole movie. Bacura (2019). Walken is a great villain and The Rock lived up to his name by being a living hammer in one of the most vindictive, frantic and enjoyable works in his prolific collection.