The Rock Wears Khakis

The Evolution of The Rock & His Khakis

A few years ago, Twitter users made an important discovery: The Rock—aka Dwayne Johnson—wears nearly the same outfit in every movie. Whether traversing through the jungle or digging through the wreckage of a burned city, Johnson often dresses in some combination of shirt and pants in khaki and grey. The trend continues in Johnson’s upcoming film, Disney’s Jungle Cruise. This time he even has a snazzy new khaki hat!

In honor of The Rock’s signature look and the upcoming Jungle Cruise movie, I have compiled a list—in chronological order by release date, beginning with the most recent—of some of the best films where Johnson wears his beloved khaki.

The Rock Wears Khakis

Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

The Rock has appeared in multiple Fast and Furious films, but he’s at his best when paired with Jason Statham. Hobbs & Shaw is a spinoff featuring their characters, Hobbs (Johnson) and Shaw (Statham), on a side quest, if you will. The film’s plot doesn’t involve street racing, but it does involve a cybernetic super villain played by Idris Elba (so essentially they battle a robot version of Idris Elba).

The film opens with Shaw’s sister Hattie (Vanessa Kirby) and a team of MI6 agents trying to secure a deadly virus known as “The Snowflake.” But alas, they are attacked by super Idris Elba (aka Brixton Lore in the film). To ensure that Lore doesn’t get the virus, Hattie injects the virus into herself. Despite their rocky relationship, Hobbs and Shaw agree to work together to protect Hattie and destroy the Snowflake once and for all, with Brixton Lore hot on their tail.

If you’ve seen the film you may be thinking, “Hey, The Rock doesn’t wear khaki in this film!” And okay, that may be true (he wears a lot more black and grey), but Hobbs & Shaw is far more self aware than its Fast and the Furious counterparts, and has such great over-the-top action sequences you can’t help but be entertained. Also, Robot!Idris Elba is amazing (and, for the record, far less frightening than Cat!Idris Elba).

Where to Stream it: Apple TV, Prime Video

The Rock Wears Khakis

Skyscraper

In an even more intense version of Die Hard, Skyscraper’s Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson, naturally) makes John McClane look downright wimpy. In the aptly named Skyscraper, Sawyer, the former leader of an FBI Hostage Rescue Team, travels to Hong Kong with his family. Now a security consultant, he is tasked with assessing the safety of “The Pearl,” the world’s tallest building. Unfortunately for Sawyer, he gives his approval only to have a group of mercenaries set it aflame. As if that wasn’t enough, he also must scale the building and rescue his family from the 225th floor. And—because entering a burning skyscraper isn’t outrageous enough—do all of this with one leg, as Sawyer is an amputee.

Fun, non-khaki-related fact: Despite the sheer absurdity of the plot, the filmmakers did actually study Chinese culture and architecture when designing the epic skyscraper, including Chinese mythology.

Where to Stream it: Fubo, Apple TV

The Rock Wears Khakis

Rampage

Loosely based on the video-game series of the same name, Rampage has everything you could want in a film: an albino gorilla who goes on a rampage (hey! that’s the title), and other giant animals wrecking havoc on the city of Chicago. Like the game it’s based on, the film was intended to be a “love letter” to “rampaging animal movies” like King Kong and  Jurassic Park. 

Rampage follows Davis Okoye (Dwayne Johnson), a primatologist who befriends a tame albino gorilla named George. When George is exposed to a deadly pathogen, however, he becomes more aggressive and decides to try to take over the world. Naturally, Okoye has to go save his buddy, while also saving humanity from other rampaging animals. In case you were wondering, no gorillas were hurt in the making of this film.

Where to Stream it: HBO Max, YouTube

The Rock Wears Khakis

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Another masterpiece in which The Rock dons khaki, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a sequel of sorts to the1995 film Jumanjii, about a magical board game that comes to life with chaotic results. The new version updates the board-game concept to a video game (it literally shows the game transforming itself to appeal to a new generation), and is full of references gamers will enjoy.

When a group of high-school students—a sort of haphazard collection of personalities forced to do detention together a la The Breakfast Club—finds the game and starts to play it, they are transported into its jungle world and transformed into their adult avatars. The Rock plays one of those characters, Dr. Smolder Bravestone, a khaki-wearing caricature of his previous roles. He leads the group and and helps keep it together, but the film belongs to Jack Black as Bethany, a snooty teenage girl trapped in the body of a male cartographer.

The sequel to the sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level, is also great fun, adding Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, and Awkwafina to the mix. Due to the franchise’s continued success, a sequel to that sequel is currently in the works, so we may not have seen the last of Dr. Bravestone.

Where to Stream it: Fubo, Apple TV

The Rock Wears Khakis

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

In this follow up to the 2008 adventure film Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Rock puts on his finest khaki and accompanies Sean (Josh Hutcherson) to find his grandfather on—you guessed it—a mysterious island. Based loosely on the Jules Verne book, The Mysterious Island, Johnson stars as Sean’s stepfather, and the pair team up with a pilot, Gabato (Luis Guzman), and his daughter Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens). The mysterious island features things all good mysterious islands should, including miniature elephants (aww), bee eating birds (what?), and a massive electric eel (okay, that’s just too far). Although it’s not as memorable as some of The Rock’s other films, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a jolly adventure.

Where to Stream it: Prime Video, Apple TV

The Rock Wears Khakis

Bonus: Moana

So technically The Rock doesn’t even wear a shirt in this Disney animated feature, but his necklace sort of has some khaki in it. Anyway, it’s still one of his best roles and totally worth watching. He plays the demigod Maui, who once stole the heart of an ocean goddess, releasing an angry demon upon the seas. On a quest to save her island and its people, Moana tracks Maui down and forces him to help her return the relic. Oh, and you get to hear Johnson sing! You’re welcome.

Where to Stream it: Disney+, Apple TV

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