Review: The Holiday Season Gets Leveled Up With Jumanjii: The Next Level
The gang’s all here in Jumanji: The Next Level. Friends Spencer, Fridge, Bethany, and Martha have returned home during their first semester at college and everyone is on their own path. Spencer finds returning home resurfaces his past insecurities and decides to jump back into Jumanji. He’s hoping to wipe those old fears away and return to his former, happier self. When his buddies discover he’s missing and what he has done, they too enter the game to save their friend.
The foursome isn’t alone this time as Spencer’s dear old grandfather, Eddie, who is now living with Spencer’s mom as he recovers from a recent surgery. Eddie is joined by his former longtime friend, Milo, and the pair are also sucked in to the adventure. The group is now on to the next, more challenging level and this time their avatars from the first go around are all mixed up. The gang must save Spencer, beat the game, and try to return home without losing all of their lives.
Directed by Jake Kasdan, this sequel to the 2017 hit does what every good sequel should do, capitalize on what made the first film good. For this film it’s not taking itself so seriously. This new offering is filled with humorous moments, some kick-ass action scenes, and new additions that spice up the cast.
Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, and Nick Jonas reprise their roles as Jumanji avatars, the strong Dr. Bravestone, the archaeologist Professor Oberon, killer-of-men Ruby Roundhouse, zoologist Franklin Finbar, and pilot Jefferson McDonough respectively. The best moments are when the four main (Johnson, Black, GIllan, and Hart) are on screen together while Jonas’ is always a fun add to the mix. The pairings that break off see new partnerships each time which kept the humor and hijinks coming.
What makes this film so fun though is how mixed up the characters get. This sequel sees our teenager heroes from the first film in brand new roles that create new challenges and opportunity for growth. Danny DeVito, and Danny Glover are two of the new names to join this star-studded cast. These Hollywood heavyweights do more than hold their own alongside the other cast members and are responsible for some of the biggest laughs. The interactions between DeVito and Glover remind audiences why they have been beloved for so long. Their comedic timing is spot on and they excel when they’re showcasing their characters’ realizations that growing old is a gift.
Awkwafina and Game Of Thrones’ Rory McCann round out the cast as Jumanji avatars, thief Ming Fleetfoot and villain Jurgen the Brutal. Both stars were great to see on screen, but underutilized. Awkwafina never had the opportunity to show off her comedy chops until the final third of the movie while McCann was left on the sidelines to only remind the audience there is a game to be won.
Jumanji: The Next Level isn’t a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. It is an entertaining good time that is sure to put people in seats and smiles on faces during this holiday season.
Grade: B