Jumanji 2 : Bienvenue Dans La Jungle

Four high school students serving after school detention discover an old cartridge video game in the school's storage area. It's called "Jumanji" and when they play it, the game sucks them into its world, where they each inhabit a different character: nerdy Spencer becomes Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), a musclebound action hero; football jock Fridge becomes diminutive sidekick Mouse (Kevin Hart); vacuous pretty girl Bethany becomes chubby middle-aged male scientist Prof. Oberon (Jack Black); and academically-driven Martha becomes Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) a sexy martial artist. The quartet learn that they have to complete the game to return to the real world and their real bodies, but they each only have 3 lives in the game; die 3 times in the game, and they die for real.

I saw the original Jumanji movie back in 1995 and liked it a great deal and I was therefore dreading how a reboot would taint the memory of the original. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this one. The dichotomy of the characters in their real lives versus their in-game personas is funny and well exploited, and the conventions of video game storytelling and set-up are also lampooned with some wit. Johnson, Hart and Black are all performers who can be over the top, but the material calls for it here, and they all exceed, as does Gillan, especially during her hilariously awkward "seduction" scene. Even if some of the animal peril is blatantly more CGI cartoonery, it also fits with the videogame milieu. This strictly popcorn fare, but it isn't brainless, although it's a bit predictable. Still, it was much better than expected.

Will admit to not expecting much. The advertising didn't have me completely sold, was worried as to whether it would be fun or turn into puerile immaturity and wasn't sure about the cast entirely. Saw it anyway being someone who wanted to see as many 2017 films as possible, who has seen their fair share and likes films intended to be escapist fun, who loves the Jumanji premise and who has fondness for the Robin Williams film.

'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' turned to be much better and far more enjoyable than expected. It may not be a masterpiece or great, but it clearly strived to be glossy escapist fun and succeeded very well in that. Do prefer the earlier film but other than the title and the basic premise 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' to me seemed like its own take and should stand on its own.

Can see definitely why it won't appeal, and hasn't appealed to (though on the most part have seen more positivity than negativity), some. Didn't care for the first twenty minutes or so in the real world. It didn't have an awful lot of momentum in a first act that was just setting things up and took too long to do so, was awkward at times in the writing and the acting was far more comfortable and interesting once we got to Jumanji.

Most of the performances are fine once the film got going, but for me Nick Jonas was very bland and while more subdued than he usually is Kevin Hart for me sometimes grated (though at other points he is amusing), the rapid loudmouth shtick is going to be a very acquired taste.

However, 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' was highly successful in its aim of being glossy fun escapism. The film is two hours but once we're in Jumanji they fly by. Although the story can be extremely predictable and the outcomes not surprising, the lively energy, the exciting thrills, thrilling action and suitably nail-biting but not intensely so sense of peril more than compensates.

As do the witty script, that has the right dose of humour and surprising heart and even with the profanity from Hart it doesn't ever get too crude or puerile, and ace visual effects. Jumanji is colourfully rendered and mostly the film is nicely shot and more than capably directed. The music is rousing and pleasant to listen to and the ending is cosy and surprisingly poignant, which one doesn't expect yet it doesn't jar too much. There's even a nice Robin Williams/Alan Parrish tribute/homage touch, that is worth looking for if especially observant.

Dwayne Johnson smoulders in intensity and charisma, in terms of acting style it is very familiar territory for Johnson but he does it well and that's all that matters. Karen Gillen more than holds her own with the other leads, with a good deal of sass and charm (her flirting/dance scene after being taught to do it is one of the film's highlights). Bobby Cannavale is suitably formidable villain, if somewhat underused. Absolutely agree with everybody who says that Jack Black steals the show, he has the funniest lines and moments (which are plenty) and it is perhaps his best performance since 'School of Rock'. The character interplay, which the film is heavy on, really sparkles.

In conclusion, fun and surprisingly good film if not a great one. 7/10 Bethany Cox

It's good. I had no idea what to expect in all honest. I am not huge fans of other movies by these actors, but this really worked. You could see the great chemistry between them all and it paid off.

What I liked: I enjoyed how it didn't dither about at the beginning and got right into the action. Jack Black especially was brilliant and hilarious! All the actors/actresses were great but Jack Black stood out. Good mix of action and comedy throughout. I was on the edge of my seat (metaphorically) wanting them to escape the game.

Negatives: not many to be honest, couple of scenes were slightly cringe, but not off putting. Same logic goes for a couple of scenes which felt dragged out.

I think people need to forget about this being a remake of a classic film and treat it as a separate movie altogether. If you start comparing the 2 that's when it goes wrong.

Ps.. Karen Gillan. Marry me please?

Worth watching and will be going cinema for 2nd instalment.

The steady and impressive box office success is well-deserved. This movie is pure fun! Actually, it's more than fun; it's clever and perfectly 2018.

No one plays board games anymore, so what did the filmmakers do? They changed Jumanji into a video game. Simple, yet smart. This change not only made sense, it also opened the doors for the characters to possess and exhibit wildly over-the-top skills and physical abilities that would only make sense in a video game setting.

Also perfectly 2018, the handling of Karen Gillan's short shorts. The film earnestly attempts to comment on how video games exploit female characters in blatantly sexual ways. "Why am I wearing short shorts in the jungle?!" she exclaims. This scene is well done and could have made a worthy statement if the movie did not proceed to display her booty in the short shorts at multiple junctures throughout the film. The intentions were good; the execution, not so much.

Gillan plays a powerful female badass exceptionally well. She even nails the necessary nuances required in playing a shy, unconfident student who is merely inhabiting the avatar of the female badass. Each star in the movie plays the embodiment of an avatar assumed by the high school kids after they are sucked into the Jumanji video game. I understand that the last sentence sounds ridiculous. That's Jumanji. You have to tolerate a bit of ridiculous. Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black all deliver in their roles. Hart is hilarious. Black reminds us that he is still funny. Jack Black should be in more funny movies. Johnson is equal parts funny and charming to such an obscene level that it almost doesn't make sense. He's at the point now that he can still be wonderful and charming, even if the movie around him falls woefully flat (shout out to Baywatch).

Setting much of the film in a video game also excused an exceedingly simple plot. The movie embraces this. With all the funny lines, the best one comes when at one point someone asks a video game character in a car "why can't you just drive us where we need to go?" At that moment I realized that this movie knows exactly what it is.

Still, the movie is not perfect. Bobby Canavale's villain character is strange in a strange way, rather than strange in a cool way. The dialogue has its flaws too. At one point, Jack Black's character gives a pep talk to Karen Gillan's character about confidence. At first, it seems like a lovely speech that tells a teenage girl that she has value because of who she is as a person. Then it abruptly ends with "I'm just saying you're a babe." Oh, so physical attractiveness is what gives her value? Ugh. Once again, they were so close to delivering a worthwhile message, but fell just short.

These faults are only slight hiccups. Most viewers probably will barely notice them. They certainly didn't ruin my enjoyment of the movie. Above all else, the movie is about fun. And on that aspect, it comes through with flying colors.

This is such a dumb movie but honestly that's what makes it so great. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a fun movie that doesn't take itself seriously and it shows. Of course it's a twist on the original Jumanji movie that will never capture the same magic. But for everyone expecting it to be a giant flop, it ends up being pretty fun.

3.5/5. Above expectations.