About the film (courtesy of Columbia Pictures):
The gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own, they discover that nothing is as they expect. The players will have to brave parts unknown and unexplored, from the arid deserts to the snowy mountains, in order to escape the world’s most dangerous game.
Continuing to move far, far away from the game Robin Williams played all the way back in 1995, the Jumanji franchise keeps pushing ahead by evolving the games this current group of characters play. Reprising their roles from the previous sequel, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan return for another go round but with a twist. Joining all of the familiar faces of the last film are Danny DeVito and Danny Glover.
The “two Dannys” bring new opportunities for laughs which is definitely needed to help drag this weighted adventure comedy across the finish line. Jumanji: The Next Level clocks in at 123 minutes, which is quite long considering the type of movie it is. Director Jake Kasdan stays pretty much in with what he presented with the last film. In that regard, not much has changed which gives this sequel a decent foundation. Things are kept fresh by allowing the actors to switch things up a bit. This will make more sense once you watch the film.
Jumanji: The Next Level is an average end of the year escape that most of the family can enjoy. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have good chemistry with one another as most would assume. You can insert the duo in just about any script and they’ll make it better by just being on camera. Depending on its box office reception, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if Sony attempts to eek out yet another sequel.
With the selection of new movies coming to theaters this weekend in addition to the other December releases, Jumanji: The Next Level offers a lighter side to cinema that doesn’t involve true events (at least not to my knowledge…). The franchise itself is trending slightly downward but still offers a moderate amount of entertainment. You can check out the games older people play in theaters right now.
