Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

I was hoping it would turn out exactly like this. It was already clear from the trailers that the new Jumanji is not a very ambitious project, and that it would be ideal if it turned out to be a good two hours of fun. And that's pretty much what it did. Four classmates are transported into the world of the video game Jumanji, each taking on their own avatar and having to somehow make it to the end and survive. Of course, the whole thing stands and falls on the fact that the nerd looks like Dwayne Johnson and the self-centered beauty finds herself in the body of Jack Black. But it's actually quite enough. The quartet of stars are all tuned into the same wave, Kevin Hart only has his third role so he doesn't get to be overly annoying, and Jack Black is downright hilarious. There's just enough action, just enough humour and just the right amount of adventure to keep the 119 minutes running smoothly and still manage to learn some lessons. I don't expect to remember anything from the film in a few weeks, but I really enjoyed the two hours. Despite the visual effects, which are very sad to look at at times. (07/27/2018)

An understandable generational upgrade of a classic for today's degenerate audience. Noisier, more digital, more spectacular, but also lacking in childlike charm and family values. Definitely cool fun for millennials with likeable jokes and big names in the cast that certainly don't make a disgrace. We older folks would rather watch the original from the 1990s, as this remake evaporates from our minds during the screening. (04/24/2018)

The saddest thing about the new Jumanji isn't that it's a poorly made yawn that proves comedy directors simply aren't suitable material for shooting action or otherwise spectacular scenes, and the only thing that saves it is the casting of the central foursome of adults, with Jack Black in particular reigning supreme as a uniquely transgender character smuggled into a family film. Saddest of all is how the game of Jumanji itself has shifted from its promising origins. Whereas twenty years ago that board game gave us a breath of distant adventure in unexplored and dangerous wildernesses by confronting the protagonists with huge herds of game, giant insects, or quicksand, with the realization that some unspecified wilderness was out there close by, the new version brings us back down to earth. The reason is that this makes all too clear the end of unexplored lands, the end of experiences beyond the known, the end to bidding farewell to your doorstep, as the only way to begin a wild adventure is in an imaginary world in the body of an imaginary character, because there is nothing in the world left undiscovered and uncharted. The original Jumanji didn't particularly move me as a child, it didn't feel exhilarating, indeed the danger was tangible, much of the acting took place in a darkened attic full of old artefacts, the whole film was set sometime in a rainy fall, and the character of John Williams was essentially sadly tragic (he lost his entire childhood and adolescence somewhere on a white spot on a map...). This exuberant extravaganza poses no challenge to anyone, and it's tiresome as hell. (03/21/2018)

Okay, I wasn't expecting it, but surprisingly it was quite good. It was brisk, entertaining here and there, and well-paced from start to finish. I didn't even think the acting was bad, on the contrary everyone did a decent job. As a relaxing, no-frills follow-up to the 1995 film, it accomplishes what it's supposed to. A strong 3 stars. (12/15/2019)

Quite possibly my last visit to the cinema this year (there have been 37) and definitely a hit. Excellent nostalgic entertainment after 22 years. The concept of the play is slightly off from the original, which is perhaps the biggest criticism, but otherwise the film certainly works in every respect. The humour is once again handled by the excellent Kevin Hart and comes through for Jack Black, The Rock is traditionally entertaining and Karen Gillan's vixen has charm. Humour is plentiful and mostly successful, there's also plenty of animals (hippopotamus, rhinoceros, crocodiles, jaguars, black mamba, elephant) and there are contact fights, making the action a nice all-round treat to keep the whole family entertained. It's a bit far-fetched at times and a few scenes are ridiculous, but as long as you accept that it's actually a video game, there's no reason to get upset about the logic. 80% (12/21/2017)