Follow up entries that come over 20 years after the original are often in a tough position. Fans have years to build up their expectations of what they feel a new entry should entail, often to the point of no satisfaction is possible. I figured this was the case with Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Interestingly enough, this entry lives up to the expectations I had in my mind – doesn't exceed them but it doesn't fail either.
Before we get too far into this, I want to mention my method of reviewing. I do my best to cut off the review in detail at about the half way mark of the movie to avoid spoilers. This may irk some but I feel it is the only fair way to keep those interested in seeing the movie without ruining it all for them.
In 1996 we see how the board game Jumanji gets around as it is discovered on a beach by a man who gives it to his son, Alex Vreeke. Welcome to the Jungle is tied to the original via some magic which changes the board game into a game cartridge early in the movie. This cartridge catches Alex's attention after the iconic drums wake him up. This is how Alex ends up in the game of Jumanji.
In 2016 we are introduced to four high school teenagers who attend Brantford High School. These four students are given detention for various reasons.
As punishment the four teens are given the task of cleaning out a room in the school basement to prepare it for a new computer class setup. This being a Friday, what they don't finish today will be finished on Saturday – much to the chagrin of the students.
Fridge, the football player of the group, discovers Alex Vreeke's game console, not sure why it is at school, and turns it on. Along with Spencer (nerd), Bethany (self absorbed girl), and Martha (anti-exercise, anti-social, student) they begin the game of Jumanji.
Some of the funnier parts of the movie happen early on. Such as Bethany ending up being played by Jack Black as Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon. The whining over a cell phone, the discovery of having a penis, the complaining over not having access to Instagram and other social media, etc are handled in a way only Jack Black could make funny and entertaining. Later in the movie, Jack Black's character is used for more funny scenes that give the movie a fun edge offsetting the dystopian situation the characters are facing.
Most of the funny parts between Johnson and Hart were revealed in the commercials so I won't waste time repeating them here – the funniest being the punch of Hart into the wall.
It is quickly deduced that each player has three lives and must complete the challenge of Jumanji before they are all lost.
This is where it gets interesting and takes a major swerve from the original movie. For one, the world of Jumanji is a completely and wholy unique world here, whereas the original had the Jumanji world directly effecting the real world.
With any good movie, there has to be a bad guy. Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle has plenty of them. For starters, there is Russel Van Pelt a corrupt archaeologist that has stolen the Jaguar's Eye. This gem gives the holder the power to control the animals of Jumanji. It also completely corrupts the holder if kept too long. Van Pelt has held the gem far longer than he should have.
The team figure out that the world is setup with levels and via a partially missing map, they begin the challenge of completing the game. Along the way they are rescued by a fifth player, Jefferson “Seaplane” McDonough, who turns out to be Alex Vreeke – from 20 years ago.
Here we learn that time in Jumanji is handled differently than time in the real world as Alex thinks he has only been in Jumanji for a few months.
This is where the real challenge comes. The team learns that Alex has spent two of his three lives attempting the remainder of the game and has failed. It turns out that teamwork is the only way to complete Jumanji. A team of individuals with unique skills is what Alex lacked his first two attempts.
For me, I went into Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle with an open mind. Sure, I enjoyed the original and still do whenever I see it on television. This addition to the franchise is not as good as the original, it is missing that charm of a Robin Williams character, though Jack Black's character will probably end up going down in history with that “feel” applied to him over the years. His portrayal of Oberon is just that good. A mix of three characters, the original “Valley Girl” Bethany, the whole “girl in a guys body”, and finally the intellectual cartographer Sheldon Oberon.
If you want a movie that you can just watch and enjoy without having to figure out 300+ twists and turns then Jumanji is your movie. It is just fun adventuring with an ensemble cast that bring their own quirks and interesting takes on the characters to the fun.
Check out Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle on eBay.
