The New Review - Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle

The New Review

"Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle"
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black

So Here We Go...


Background Check: Here we have a sequel of one of the beloved Robin Williams classics about a board game come to life, and a little boy trapped getting trapped in the game. It really is a Jungle out there.

Concept: Four high school students get detention. While doing their "time" cleaning up, they find a game system, and a game within with the familiar drum beats sucks the teens in and we follow them to the jungle itself, where they, as the characters they chose, must play the game to the end... or it really is Game Over.

Execution:

Cast: Dwayne Johnson is always amazing. Jack Black is as Jack Black as always. Karen Gillan... as hot as always... kicking some major ass. Bobby Canavale makes a pretty good video game villain. The only issue I had is while Kevin Hart does complete the cast, and he works very well as The Rock's side kick, I personally am starting to get sick of him. Maybe he needs to add to his range... or take a fucking break. Score: 9/10

Characters: You don't see much of the teens in the movie before they get sucked into the game, and it is a little off putting to try and follow  the characters as BOTH the avatars and the teens inside. But not impossible. Score: 8/10

Story: So... straight into the video game... it is presented as a video game quest acted out as a D&D campaign. It follows as a true sequel to the original, and does really have that same whimsical "you dunno what is next" kind of feeling. The story also does a really good job at driving home that idea of "who we really are on the inside". And that is the true narrative of the whole story. Score: 10/10

Visual: It's a fucking Jungle. It looks great overall... but I did have some issues with the CGI. Granted... it might've been done on purpose, as it is a video game... AND it didn't look like it would've been a GOOD video game. The idea is they went to the same jungle as Alan Parrish in the first movie... so why did the animal effects look better in the original? Score: 6/10

Sound: Okay... so, I won't spend too much time here. The point I wanted to make here was the video game sounds. Of course, the drums... those damn drums... but the sound of respawning, that was a nice old school touch. Score: 9/10

Flow: Since they pretty go straight into the story/video game, it flows just like a game would: as levels. Even if there is a break in flow, they give you a reason("this must be a cutscene") or the break itself flows in. I have to say, they handled it well. Score: 10/10

Substance: SO... funny. Was it funny? Should I tell you to go look at that cast list? Of course it was funny, quite a bit of Kevin Hart and Jack Black being... themselves... while still keeping it family friendly. AND the movie was still able to be serious for the REAL narrative. It felt like a comedy in a video game wrapped in a not so hidden message. But again, Kevin Hart is starting to annoy me. Score: 9/10

Closure: The teens beat the game... save the jungle... learn about themselves... become friends... and it looks like they took care of any chance to have another sequel... they didn't just close it down... they put it into a state of perpetual Indiana construction... and make me sad that it looks like they closed the book on making another. I'd like to see it. Score: 9/10

Legacy: So... first was Jumanji... then Zathura... then this movie. As a sequel, this movie is pretty damn good to fit in, BUT one more extra side perspective, it's the BEST Video Game movie I've ever seen. That isn't saying much, but it is. The structure IS that of a video game, and maybe THAT niche subgenre should take some notes from this movie. Score: 10/10

Extra Oomph: Those of you that know me would probably guess I would make this category about Robin Williams, and you would be right...IF they would've have put a good enough homage to him in the movie. And they covered that. No no...this will be about the elephant in the movie(haha). How the Fuck did they go from a board game to a video game? No spoiler here, because it STARTS the movie. SO, my thought when the first trailer was released was "why would someone find the board game, try it, experience it, and WANT TO MAKE IT A VIDEO GAME?!?!" Well, that NOT the appraoch. What they did made more sense, and fit the WHOLE Jumanji story, not just this movie. Opening Sequence has a guy in the 90s find the board game on the beach, and brings it home to his teenage son. The son whines something like nobody plays board games. So, while he is asleep, the baord game turns ITSELF into a video game cartiridge. Dude plugs it in...disappears... story begins 20 years later. Very nice touch that the board game is sentient enough to adapt so much. Plus, they could totally market this concept into a real video game. Score: 10/10

Final Score: 90/100 A-

Conclusion: this was a worthwhile sequel to one of my favorite movies of all time, and it breaks my heart just a little because I know EXACTLY where I would've put Alan Parrish in the movie. Maybe a couple of spots. BUT Robin Williams would've been proud of the finished product, just as I am. It did what it was supposed to have done... been a great sequel. The CGI issues I had are the only thing keeping me from saying that it is on the same level as the original, but everything else makes up for it anyway.

It's all a matter of opinion: I cannot stress enough that THIS is MY opinion, you can either agree with me or not. I don't have to justify my opinion, because *clears throat" that's what this blog is about. Whether I like it or not doesn't mean you have to or not...... I'ts just my justification behind MY recommendation... Which leads me to my FINAL JUDGMENT...

FINAL JUDGMENT: I say go see this movie. It's a pretty good movie for fans of the original, and even for those who wouldn't be. Also good for almost the whole family. I wouldn't take little ones, but the older kids, the gaming age kids, they will get a kick out of it. Also, I wished I had seen it in 3D. Though I bashed some of the CGI, I think this would've been a good candidate for a 3D viewing. And I do mean give the theater some of your money. It is worth it on the big screen.

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So that's it. I have given "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle"  a 90!!! Good enough for an A-, and I had high expectations for it. Glad The Rock didn't let me down... well... movie-wise he hasn't let me down yet. What was I worried about?

Until next time, make sure you read ALL of the rules before you play that board game... or go through the instruction manual before jumping into that video game...

You don't know where you might end up...

I think the next one will be on "IT". IT was my Good for 2017, and the disc release is next week. When I pick it up, It's time for the full treatment. And thanks to a discussion with Bob, I'm going to be adding my first new segment... titled "Building A Legacy" and not only am I going to give you a New Review on IT... IT will also be the subject of the first "Building A Legacy". Gotta work out the kinks before that goes to post. I shall... keep you posted...

Yeah... that was a little lame...

To be fair... it IS a Jungle out there...

~The Master is Out.