Jumanji | Craig's Movie Report

Viewed – 10 November 2021 Netflix

This sequel to the ‘reboot’ of the classic Robin Williams fantasy, has the same cast of high school now twenty-something misfits who find themselves returning to the mystical video game world. Choosing to return that is only after one of them decides to go back of their own free will.

A rather weak set up this time gives the previous movie’s concept of unlikely personalities trapped in the bodies of their video game avatars, that being The Rock, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart … a slight twist by swapping characters around and also throwing in Danny DeVito and Danny Glover. Meaning it’s occasionally a bit confusing who’s who. Thankfully banter between all the characters is consistently engaging and funny.

Plot-wise the quest within the game is nonsensical, and is just an excuse for several set pieces including an ostrich stampede and an elaborate sequence involving suspended bridges. However the real-world backdrop that includes a touching subplot between two old friends almost makes up for this. As a sequel it adds nothing to the first movie, failing to build on the mysticism of the game and its origins. For fans of the first movie – give this a watch. It’s still a lot of fun but very little else.

Verdict: Good

Viewed – 12 June 2018 online-rental

I find myself liking Dwayne ‘the rock’ Johnson more and more with every movie I see him in, and this sort-of sequel to the Robin Williams original has him on fine, comedic and action hero form joined by a colourful cast. He plays the videogame counterpart of a nerdy kid who along with a bunch of high school misfits, gets transported into the world of Jumanji after unwittingly powering up a videogame console.

By attempting to bring the board game comes to life idea of the first movie, up-to-date by making Jumanji a videogame, some of the charm is lost but replaced by a unique twist of the usual high school teen movie formula, and I certainly enjoyed seeing actors like Jack Black and Karen Gillan play somewhat the opposite of how they look for some great fun moments. Jack Black eyeing up The Rock, anyone?

I’d have liked to learn more about the world and what makes Jumanji what it is and it’s rules etc, but we get nothing. This goes hand in hand with the thin characterisation, that although playing on clichés, are still clichés regardless. Yet we do get some decent action and the people transported into a world with videogame logic works every bit as well (if not a little better) than it did in Ready Player One. So yes, this is easy watching and a lot of fun. However it’s not much more.

Verdict: 3 /5