After making the error of thinking too hard during the last kids' movie I saw (The Last Jedi) I was determined to avoid making the same mistake twice. Therefore, before Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle began, I switched off my cellphone... and my brain. I prepared myself for some mindless and silly fun.
However I did not prepare myself for this much fun. My entire family had a blast!
If there is a child left in you, I think you will too.
Although I thought it was going to be a complete reboot, Jumanji:Welcome to the Jungle is a sequel to the 1995 movie of the same name. There were just enough connections to the first film to give the audience a feeling of nostalgia. The first Jumanji was just "ok". My kids enjoyed it a little bit the one and only time they saw it. I have a strong feeling my children will love watching the sequel repeatedly.
The movie is based on a perfect premise for a kids' movie today. Have you ever imagined what would happen if the kids in John Hughes' The Breakfast Club had been sucked into a video game while serving their detention? Well you don't have to wonder anymore. That is exactly what happens in Jumanji:Welcome to the Jungle.
Now imagine if some giant tarantulas dropped from the ceiling. How much better would this scene have been?
In this take on the teenage classic, Kevin Hart plays the jock, Karen Gillan is the "emo" girl, Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is the geek, and Jack Black is... the pretty girl. (That is not a typo and it is fantastic!)
By casting two comedians in main roles, it was impossible for the movie to ever take itself too seriously. It was a brilliant move that paid HUGE dividends. Nearly everything Hart or Black does causes a laugh. At least ten times the entire theater was laughing so loudly that we missed a line of dialogue. That is a nice problem to have. I have always been impressed with Dwayne Johnson's ability to pull off comedic scenes. He is able to do that when called upon in this movie. Even Karen Gillan (who also happens to play Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy) pulls off some very funny physical comedy.
I can't even... explain how funny Jack Black was in this movie.
The movie has a very simple premise, teenagers get sucked into a video game and need to beat every level in order to get back to their reality. They each only have three "lives" to spare along the way. Writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers apparently know two things very well: video games and fun. Although they included some really funny video game details for serious fans, they weren't so obscure that non-gamers would be lost.
This movie is fun. The writers kept it simple. Put the teenagers in exciting or funny video game situations for 80 minutes and have them talk for 20. That was a perfect balance. I don't think anyone in the audience was ever bored.
The acting was surprisingly good. As mentioned earlier, the casting of two legit comedians was brilliant! While Hart played up his character's change in stature, Jack Black appeared to have a riot while accentuating his character's change in gender... and age. I felt the jokes poking fun at middle aged men were dead on. The only problem I had was with the casting of Nick Jonas in ... anything. He simply is not and actor. He has ruined every scene I have ever watched him in. However, for this movie I will make an exception. I was having too much fun to care. There was also one very important reason he was cast in this film. The three tween girls behind me summed it up during the credits. As soon as the credits began, one of them said, "We know who the real star of this movie is." When Nick Jonas' name appeared, they all squealed in delight. Its tough to get upset about a kids movie making children so happy. So I let it go.
Despite his complete inability to act, the tweens behind us thought Nick Jonas was the real star of the movie. My wife thought it was that guy on the left.
It has become expected that today's special effects will be perfect. The only time they seem to draw any attention is when they are flawed like in The Justice League. Jumanji's effects are flawless. In fact, I saw a couple of new effects that I have not seen before. A couple of the action sequences (which could only possibly work in The Matrix or in a video game) were spectacular.
There is plenty of action. In fact, the vast majority of the time there is either something exciting or hilarious being portrayed on the screen. I was very impressed with the pace of the film. It was one fun scene after another.
Just to give you an idea on how much you will need to suspend your disbelief. That is Dwayne Johnson, on a motorcycle, with a flame thrower. (Not pictured 100 Jaguars). Sounds like a recipe for fun to me.
Although this is clearly a mindless movie aimed at 12 to 15 year olds, it is not completely vapid. This movie could be a little deeper if you allow it to be. There is a very simple lesson about making the most of the one life we all have. However, there can be more. Many of the jokes could lead to deeper conversations about stereo types. Although I didn't go full "teacher mode" on the ride home, the movie did spark a couple of quick lectures on how beauty is not the only measure of a female's worth and how geeks can be strong and brave too. Both of these hit home with my very intelligent daughter and my super geeky son.
Now a warning. This movie seems to be aimed at young teens and their adult parents. Therefore, the characters use the minor swear words many times. There are also a couple of sexual based jokes that seemed to go over my ten year old daughter's head. My 12 year old son laughed. In addition, it is a video game so there are also many "deaths". Although these "deaths" are very unrealistic, I would imagine very young children might be scared.
Based on the reactions of the packed theater in which I saw this movie, kids and the adults who are able to think like kids for 100 minutes will definitely enjoy Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
Geeky Dad's Movie Guide
Number of times I fell asleep: 0
Number of eye rolls: 0 (It takes place in a vide game. Suspension of disbelief was in full effect.)
Number of face palms: 0
Number of times my kid asked to go to the bathroom or get food out of sheer boredom: 0
Number of times I checked steemit: 0
Number of times I said "That's ridiculous": 2 (But in a good way. There were two action sequences I'd never seen used before.)
Did my kids like it: They LOVED it!
Would I see it without my kids: Yes (But then again, I am a 15 year old at heart)