Back in 1995 a movie came out that featured a board game as
its centerpiece. Starring Robin Williams the movie told the story of a boy with
a secret that is sucked into the world of the game only to be released years
later when two more children began playing the same board game. When word came
out that the movie, treasured by fans around the world, was being remade those
fans were not quite sure what to expect. Rest easy because JUMANJI: WELCOME TO
THE JUNGLE is just as wild, just as adventurous and just as much fun as the
original.
But no one plays board games these days right? The movie
opens in 1996 and that’s the case when a young teen named Alex tosses the board
game aside to play his video games. The next day he looks at the case again to
see it is now a video game, begins playing and disappears from this world.
Fast forward to the present and a group of 4 teens are sent
to detention. Spencer, the class nerd, and Fridge, the star ball player, are in
trouble for Spencer doing Fridge’s homework. Bethany is a self-absorbed young
girl who lives on her cell phone, so much she had it on during a test. And
Martha is a self-styled outcast sent here because she argued with a teacher.
All are there for Saturday detention and instructed to clean out a storage
room. But they find the old Jumanji game, hook it up to the TV and begin
playing only to be sucked into the game just like Alex years ago.
When they arrive in the jungle it takes them a while to
realize what is going on. Spencer is now a muscle bound adventurer and played
by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Fridge is his sidekick and responsible for
carrying a backpack with his weapons and played by Kevin Hart. Martha has
turned into a fighting machine ala Laura Croft and played by Karen Gillian. And
Bethany is now a knowledgeable professor played by Jack Black. Once they
acclimate themselves to their predicament a transport arrives to pick them up.
Driving the vehicle is Nigel, in reality a part of the game
who is there to pass along information to the group and set them on their way.
He tells them the story of an evil adventurer and Spencer’s rival Van Pelt
(Bobby Cannavale) who stole a famed jewel from the eye of a jaguar statue
plunging Jumanji into darkness. Their task is to retrieve the jewel and take it
back to be replaced in the statue. But there are several tasks involved along
the way just like any game requires.
Each learns about their strengths and weaknesses before they
set out. They also find out the hard way what the stripes that seem to be
tattooed on their arms mean. Each one is a life they have while playing the
game. Lose a life, lose a stripe. And when they’re all gone, its game over for
that person.
The thing that makes this film work is the interplay between
the actors on screen as well as the alterations in their characters from the
real world to the world of Jumanji. Spencer’s 180 change has him looking at his
arms and amazed at how big they are. Martha can’t figure out why she’s wearing
such skimpy clothes in the jungle. Fridge can’t believe he’s little more than a
sidekick. And Bethany bemoans her frumpy appearance and the loss of her much
loved cell phone. But they all adapt while teasing one another about their
changes.
The acting from all four is wonderful to watch. For me Jack
Black has always been hit or miss and he hits in this role, especially when he
has to go to the bathroom. Gillian gets a chance to shine after her makeup
laden role in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. Hart and Johnson, so amazing together in
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE, are just as good here. Johnson in particular shines in
his comedic moments, especially when he gives a smoldering look.
The effects are solid here and almost all CGI. But they’re
done well enough that it doesn’t matter unlike some films that rely on those
effects while doing them poorly. They play well into the story here and that
story is solid enough to make you realize this isn’t a remake so much as a
reboot of the original.
I found myself laughing throughout the film as well as
cheering on the team making their way through the game. While there are a few
jokes that adults will enjoy more than kids, they’re not the sort that will be
offensive and have you trying to explain them to the young ones. All in all I
had a blast with this one and odds are I’ll watch it again. My guess is you
will as well.
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