It all started with the late and great Robin Williams along side Kristen Dunst in 1995 with “Jumanji”. Of course Hollywood has to keep spitting out sequels to good, fair or just plum bad movies quicker than a Catholic rabbit has babies. In 2017, Dwayne Johnson tried his hand in the board-game-turned movie. It was titled “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”.
Here we are mid December 2019, with plenty of movies under our belts mostly all sequels but they make money and captivate the audiences. That’s all that matters. Sony Pictures/Columbia welcomes us back to the jungle with the next level. Director Jake Kasdan and company all reprise their roles in “Jumanji: The Next Level” to play the board game which is based on Jumanji, by Chris Van Allsburg.
When Spenser returns back to the game his friends Fridge, Martha, Alex Wolff, Awkwafina and Bethany follow suit in hopes of returning him home and with only 3 life-lines each player is given, you can only die twice and guard your last strip with your life. Although the movie offers goofier and the same humorous stunts, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, back to light work duty after his horrible car wreck earlier this summer, pull off a better-than-expected sequel. Johnson took his role as the bumed-hip grandpa (Devito/Awkwafina) and runs with it very well. There are Ostridge chases and dune buggies to out run and of course they do.
Devito and Danny Glover are handed key roles and the idea of getting old for them builds a nice sub-story. The mid ending credits, that you will stick around for makes us anxious for the third installment in the re-booted franchise. How would we react if we were pulled into a game and immersed in a jungle? Remember Tron started the tradition but Jumanji gained the popularity vote and it remains to be seen how it’s status stands with number three in 2021. The film opens Friday, December 13. Everybody go to your local toy dept, pick up the game and play it. It’s a jungle out there so be careful. With Jack Black on the edge of movie retirement, the next game will confirm that, but his love for the Tenaciousd D band still will continue to be his baby love along with his real wife, obvisouly. 3 1/2 stars
