The film opens in a similar vein to how Jumanji (1995) concludes. The narrative has been altered slightly, depicting the game from the original film washing ashore on a French beach. The Jumanji game is discovered by Alex, who upon finding it, remarks: “Who plays board games these days?”. The board game is placed on a shelf, remaining there until the iconic drums resonate once more. Upon opening the game again, it has transformed into a video game. Alex inserts the game into his console, marking his last scene. The film then transitions to 20 years later, introducing four stereotypical high school students – the Nerd Spencer (Alex Wolff), the athlete Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), the socially awkward Martha (Morgan Turner), and the popularity-focused Bethany (Madison Iseman).
As punishment for their misdeeds, these four students are assigned detention, requiring them to organize papers in the school’s basement. During this task, they stumble upon Alex’s old video game within a discarded box. Alex disappeared 20 years prior, and his house is now dilapidated. Upon starting the game and selecting their avatars, they are immediately transported into the game’s world. They find themselves within Jumanji’s jungle, realizing they now inhabit the physical forms and voices of their chosen avatars. The Nerd Spencer is now the imposing and handsome Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), the Athlete Fridge is transformed into the diminutive and less physically imposing Moose “Mouse” Finbar (Kevin Hart), the odd Martha is now the attractive and confident Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), and the conventionally pretty Bethany becomes the overweight, middle-aged man: Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black). They must now overcome the game’s challenges to return to the real world.
Jumanji originated as an illustrated book in 1981 by author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. It was adapted into a film in 1995, starring Robin Williams (RIP 1951-2014), and subsequently into an animated TV series in 1996. The 1995 film diverges from the book in several aspects, but remains entertaining despite some dated visual effects. While the creatures are intentionally unrealistic due to their origin from the board game, their rendering does show its age.
The first film established a genuine sense of peril. Judy (Kirstin Dunst), for instance, is poisoned and dies before the game’s conclusion. Despite the creatures’ sometimes comical appearance, they posed a threat, especially the hunter Van Pelt (Jonathan Hyde). A Van Pelt character also appears in the new film, portrayed by Bobby Cannavale. However, while the 2017 rendition might be visually intimidating, it lacks the palpable sense of danger established by its predecessor. The action sequences are well-executed and exaggerated, but the fact that each avatar has three lives, which they expend liberally, diminishes the stakes. The visual effects are not consistently polished, which may be an intentional homage to the original’s somewhat rigid CGI.
What are the film’s strengths? Quite a few, actually. Dwayne Johnson has solidified his position as one of Hollywood’s leading action stars. Arnold Schwarzenegger symbolically passed the torch to him in The Rundown from 2003, ironically titled Welcome to the Jungle in Europe. Johnson demonstrates comedic talent and a willingness to embrace self-deprecating humor.
Jack Black consistently embodies the “Jack Black” persona in his roles, whether selling weapons to Bruce Willis or confronting giant gorillas on Skull Island. In this film, he embodies the essence of a teenage girl, arguably delivering the most memorable performance. The heroes encounter Alex, played by Nick Jonas, who has been trapped in the game for 20 years, and Bethany develops a connection with him. Both Jonas and Black deliver compelling and enjoyable performances without resorting to excessive silliness. While the film may contain a few too many crude jokes, that is characteristic of Black’s work. Black’s performance in Tropic Thunder is also noteworthy, suggesting that the jungle setting may inspire his best work.
Kevin Hart’s performance often borders on excessive, and this film is no exception. He and Johnson previously co-starred in the underrated Central Intelligence. Karen Gillan, whose appearance prompted me to recall her role as Nebula under heavy makeup in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, delivers a solid performance in this film as well.
The younger actors portraying the characters in the real world deliver adequate performances. They are neither exceptionally good nor bad, simply fulfilling their roles. The film dedicates a surprising amount of screen time to them at the beginning, despite their limited presence in the promotional material. This is unfortunate, as the film’s core narrative revolves around them, rather than solely focusing on Johnson and his co-stars. One could also critique the screenplay’s reliance on familiar tropes, such as a character being trapped in the game for 20 years, and the game’s apparent design flaw of having five players but only four controllers. However, such scrutiny might be excessive, as the film functions effectively as a sequel, remake, and reboot simultaneously.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle incorporates numerous familiar tropes, making the ending and the characters’ future trajectories predictable. While the film offers humor and heart, it lacks the sharp edge of the original.
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