Jumping Ship

**Jumping Ship** is a Disney Channel Original Movie that was released on August 17, 2001. It is the sequel to 1999 film Horse Sense.

The film was written by Chad Hayes and Carey Hayes, and directed by Michael Lange.

## Plot

Although Michael has become a more mature individual since the first film and shows more concern for others, he still feels that, by birthright, he deserves to start at the top of his father's law firm. Michael's father does offer him a position at the law firm but it's a clerking job, and explains that only after thorough knowledge of the firm, a law school graduation, and passing the state bar will he ever be considered for a partnership.

Michael takes a summer vacation with Tommy to Australia. Michael has big plans to show his cousin Tommy a good time aboard a luxury yacht, until he discovers that the yacht he chartered is actually an old, rusty fishing boat. But when modern-day pirates chase the fishing boat, the boys are forced to jump ship, leaving them stranded on a desert island.

The pirates are led by Frakes, who earlier had pick-pocketed Michael and discovered through his ID that he comes from a wealthy family. The pirates plan to kidnap Michael for a large ransom. Meanwhile, Tommy and Michael struggle to find their way on the island to be met by the boat's captain, Jake Hunter, who scuttled the fishing boat to lose the pirates.

He later admits he hated being a fishing boat captain and only stuck with it because it was his late-father's calling. After several days the pirates finally find the boys when Michael shoots a flare gun to get an airplanes attention. As they attempt to leave the island on their raft two of the pirates approach them. Michael and Jake swim away and leave Tommy who can't get his life jacket off behind, promising to rescue him later.

Michael and Jake come up with a plan to get Tommy back. Jake and Tommy outwit the pirates by absconding in their speedboat, Frakes attempts to shoot Michael, but fails due to his firearm being gunked up with quicksand he had gotten trapped in earlier while chasing Michael; leaving the villains stranded. As the boys escape they call the Australian Coast Guard for help. The pirates are arrested and their speedboat is seized.

During a lunch the boys have with Michael's father and Tommy's mum, Michael arrives and tells Jake and Tommy that due to asset forfeiture, Frakes' boat is now their property. Michael proposes using the speedboat, combined with the reward money, to launch a boat tour service with Jake and Tommy as his partners, and Jake captaining the boat. Michael also tells his father that he will begin the process for law school application, and accepts his dad's clerking job to help him prepare for that.

Michael's father is proud of him for going into the business with him (but now with a more mature view), now realising that there is no royal road to success.

## Cast

* Joey Lawrence as Michael Woods
* Andrew Lawrence as Tommy Biggs
* Matthew Lawrence as Jake Hunter
* Anthony Wong as Frakes
* Jaime Passier-Armstrong as Jonas
* Martin Dingle-Wall as Dante
* Susan Walters as Jules Biggs
* Stephen Burleigh as Glen Woods
* Todd Worden as Mark Sanders
* Carly Movizio as Heather Hitt
* Jack Heywood as Valet

## Home Media

The film was released on DVD as an exclusive on the Disney Movie Club promotional website in early 2005. In November 2019, the film became available to stream on Disney+.