JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (PG-13)
Released by Sony Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
Jake Kasdan‘s 2017 sequel/reboot to 1995’s beloved JUMANJI proved to be quite the unexpected hit. It managed to serve as both a loose follow-up to the film that inspired it and a love letter to grand adventures like Indiana Jones. As someone who liked the Robin Williams-headlined original but wasn’t completely gaga over it, I was surprised by JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. And in fact, I actually greatly preferred it to the Williams film (don’t judge me.) Given its popularity at the box-office, a sequel was a no-brainer and to my surprise, this continuation is actually pretty entertaining. It isn’t necessarily better than its predecessor but it applies the same formula with a couple of creative hooks.
JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL finds Bethany (Madison Iseman), Martha (Morgan Turner), and Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain)–three of the fearless foursome from the first picture– reuniting during Christmas break and searching for their missing pal, Spencer (Alex Wolff.) After paying a visit to Spencer’s home and inspecting the basement, Martha and Fridge are ultimately sucked back into the same mysterious video game that plunged their lives into complete and utter chaos in WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE. But this time, they aren’t alone. They’re joined by Spencer’s feisty grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his estranged, soft spoken buddy, Milo (Danny Glover.) Bethany, however, remains on the outside and frantically attempts to come up with a rescue plan. This leads her to an old friend.
Within the game, Martha, Fridge, Eddie, and Milo adjust to their new avatar physiques. As was the case in the first picture, the in-game avatars are played by charismatic Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, funnyman Kevin Hart, lively Jack Black, and an ass-kicking Karen Gillan. But in a creative twist, all but Gillan are serving as avatars for completely different real life counterparts, giving Johnson, Hart, and Black an opportunity to stretch their comical chops. And stretch them, they do. To say it’s an absolute riot watching the Rock channel DeVito with Hart slowing down his motormouth persona to capture the essence of Glover, would be a gross understatement.
Meanwhile, Black slips into Bain’s shoes and the end result sort of plays like a playful, less extreme version of what Robert Downey Jr. did as Black’s co-star in TROPIC THUNDER. And for those of you who think an energetic Gillan is getting the short end of the creative stick here, think again. She’s given an opportunity to have some fun as well. How? You’ll just have to see the movie to find out.
This sequel doesn’t actually take the plot to the next level as the subtitle suggests. It’s really more of the same with the added twist of the avatars taking on different personas. That said, writer/director Jake Kasdan recognizes if the formula ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Really, the action and video game hijinx are secondary to these colorful characters and how they interact with one another.
The entire cast is pretty darn fun here and the addition of DeVito and Glover only enliven the proceedings. Likewise, an appearance by an adorable Awkwafina, fresh off her star making turn in THE FAREWELL, goes even further to amp up the comical bravado at the center of the film. What’s more, JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL has a lot of heart. Particularly where the obvious but heartfelt nature of the Eddie/Milo dynamic is concerned. Add to these themes of friendship, family, forgiveness, and moving past the insecurities that sometimes tend to take us over, and you have a film that’s as adventurous as it is thoughtful.
JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL isn’t perfect. There’s a bit of CG overload (the monkey sequence is likely to remind one of CRYSTAL SKULL) and yes, there are a few predictable scenarios but a game cast and Kasdan’s energy coupled with his pure love of all things Indiana Jones (which is sensible given that his father, Lawrence, co-wrote RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK) make for a really entertaining time at the movies. That said, a big part of me hopes that Kasdan and crew end it with THE NEXT LEVEL even though a sequel-ready ending suggests otherwise.
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