"Do you really think my work is extraordinary," Frank asks Lily in Jungle Cruise, and the audience can absolutely say that it is as he leads them on an adventure through the Amazon to discover an immortal myth. Jungle Cruise is one of the rare movies inspired by a theme park attraction that absolutely works.
It toes the line between funny and dramatic with witty one-liners and plenty of banter that echoes the 1999 version of The Mummy. Some of the best lines in the film poke fun at the characters while others allow the audience to get to know them a little better.
MacGregor Provides The Opening Line
"All legends are born in truth."
MacGregor Houghton, giving a speech at the Adventure Club that his sister isn't allowed to, opens the movie with a narration that spins a story of a magical cure-all. While his audience is skeptical, the movie audience knows that the speech is likely to be true.
As is the case with nearly any Disney movie that features an obscure legend or a story of magic, they always turn out to be true. It's part of the charm of the story to see the one person who believed rewarded in their faith. It's also, to a degree, true in the real world as well. Legends, fairy tales, and myths are all born from humans trying to explain something to a skeptical audience; they just feature more embellishment to entertain.
Frank Has Little Patience For His Boat's Audience
"Don't interrupt me again or I'll feed you to the boa."
When the audience sees Frank lead his first "jungle cruise" of the movie, he does it with a lot of cheesy puns about his surroundings. Those puns are borrowed directly from the Jungle Cruise theme park ride at Disney. His passengers audibly groan at the jokes, and one young girl repeatedly interrupts him and asks her mother to make it stop.
Frank jokingly tells her that another interruption will see her fed to the boa constrictor they're passing. While Frank is good-natured the entire trip, it's clear that he has little patience for the tourists that don't like his theatrics. He's just trying to entertain them while they travel and make a little extra money while doing it.
Frank Sees The Adventure As Too Dangerous
"You can't get there. Nobody can. And if they could, they wouldn't."
When Lily Houghton explains exactly what she's doing in the Amazon, Frank flatly refuses to take her on her search. That doesn't stop her from pressing, which leads to this particular quote about the dangers of the jungle and not even being able to get to the tree she's seeking out.
While the idea of the line is a trope present in plenty of adventure movies, it's also followed up by another trope - agreeing to the mission for the money. Frank eventually realizes that Lily is the real deal because she has the missing arrowhead, but the line deliveries as the two debate the trip are what truly make this line memorable. Dwayne Johnson has a rapid-fire rhythm to his words that makes it even more entertaining.
Lily Admits Frank Is Good At His Job
"You are a lot of things that I don't really care for, but you are... capable."
Despite the friction between Lily and Frank after she learns he's been lying to her, she is willing to admit that he knows what he's doing. His boat might be a bit run down, and he might be more than willing to con a few people out of extra money, but Frank can handle himself on the river - and against a jaguar.
Of course, the fight with the jaguar that convinces Lily he'll be a better option than Nilo is all a set-up, but she doesn't know that yet. Even her hesitation before saying, "capable," demonstrates that she still isn't sure about taking the trip with Frank, but she's going to do it anyway.
Lily Has A Great Capacity For Empathy
"I don't have to know someone to care."
Lily's search is all about the medical breakthroughs that will come from the magical petals of a tree that can heal all. Her search isn't because she knows someone who is sick or because she wants the power for herself. It's all because she wants to do some good in the world.
Frank refutes that because he claims he doesn't care about anyone, that he doesn't have anyone in his life that warrants that anymore. Lily, however, doesn't believe she needs someone specific in mind to care about humanity. Her empathy is part of what makes her one of Jungle Cruise's best characters.
Frank Appreciates Lily's Admiration
"Do you really think my work is extraordinary?"
Early in the movie, Frank and Lily have a discussion about drawing in which he admits he hasn't drawn anything in a long time because there's nothing left for him to draw. She thinks he needs a little inspiration, but discovers later that he's the cartographer who actually drew the map she's been using on her quest.
Once that's been revealed to her, Frank is able to voice a question he's likely had since she first showed him the map and complimented it to him. He's clearly been surprised and flattered by the praise. While the two have been at odds for most of the movie by that point, his question demonstrates that he does value her opinion, even if he pretends he doesn't. They are two of the smartest characters in Jungle Cruise, and have a definite respect for one another's knowledge, though their banter would otherwise hide that.
Frank Is Tired
"Everything new that you see in this world, I've seen hundreds of thousands of times."
Lily has a definite zest for life. Certain things, like swimming, might terrify her, but she's excited about everything else new in her path. She loves adventure and discovery, and her trip to the Amazon provides her with both.
While her excitement could be contagious, Frank points out to her that everything new to her is very, very old to him. Living for over 400 years can do that to someone. He's fully prepared to say good-bye to the world that he thinks doesn't have anything new to offer him, but it turns out, he might be wrong.
Frank Is Also Pragmatic
"I got tired of being stabbed, so... I trapped them in a cave."
Frank is seen as the betrayer by his former allies. The truth is, he was just more noble than them, unwilling to kill to find a cure, and that conflict trapped him for decades once they were all cursed.
Frank grew tired of that conflict, which is understandable. As someone who couldn't truly die, but had to stay in the same place, the group of cursed former allies were bound to run into one another over and over. Since the others couldn't let the conflict go and kept coming after him with various weapons, Frank took matters into his own hands, trapping them in the jungle. It's a horrible way for them to spend hundreds of years, but it brought Frank a small amount of peace.
Lily Echoes Frank's Idea Of Love
"It could be that one person is world enough."
Despite all of their picking on one another, Lily and Frank grow to truly care for one another over the course of their adventure. When Frank tells Lily about his desire to finally "rest," as he's tired of the world offering him nothing new, Lily echoes a sentiment he gives earlier in the movie.
Though she doesn't outright tell him that she wants him to stay with her, she may as well have. Variations of the line get repeated multiple times by both characters as they gradually come to terms with their feelings for one another. The two of them ending up in England together even sets up the potential for more adventures in a Jungle Cruise sequel.
MacGregor Speaks On Lily's Behalf
"Gentlemen, you can take your invitation, and you can shove it up your association."
MacGregor's closing speech of the movie echoes his at the start of the movie, only this time, his points aren't theoretical and from Lily's original paper. They detail the siblings' experience on the Amazon first-hand.
It's also clear that the society has learned of at least some of what the Houghtons report are true as MacGregor has an invitation for them to join. His rejection of that invitation is perfect, showing that he's more confident after his adventure, and still going to stand by his sister through everything.