Welcome To The Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle posits the idea of what might happen if you take the typical office work place dynamic on a corporate team building retreat and then strand them all on an island with no way home.

It opens on a marketing pitch. The rest of the team has failed to wow the client and then Chris (Adam Brody) says he's got one more idea. He makes the pitch, the client loves it and everyone cheers... then Chris wakes up at his desk. His boss, Phil (Rob Huebel), want to see his work, so Chris shows him the stuff that failed in the dream and then accidentally allows them to see his much better idea. Being typical office politics, and the fact that Phil is clearly a bully, he steal the idea, pitches it himself and takes all the accolades. Chris goes to the head of the company, but Phil got there first and poisoned the well. Having clearly been outplayed, Chris slinks off with his tail between his legs.

This is when the head of the company announces to the whole staff that they are all, except himself of course, going on a team building island getaway run by Storm Rothchild (Jean-Claude Van Damme). Chris was an Eagle Scout and all around nature adventure type guy, so perhaps this is the moment he will finally be able to shine. Even moreso once they get to the island and become stranded there and his know-how is the only thing that can save them.

But Phil, desiring to continue his office bully ways, has other plans. Chris has all the knowledge, but Phil has all the confidence, and the team splits up.

Have you read or seen Lord of the Flies? Basically that, only with a lot more humor and office politics. Welcome to the Jungle is surprisingly about 1000% better than I expected it to be. It was funny and crazy, well written, well acted, and even had a touch of heart.