Exactly twenty one years since the original movie graced our screens back in 1995, Jumanji 2: Welcome to the Jungle finally sees the light of day. I must admit I was somewhat surprised it took this long for a sequel to come out considering the global hit sensation Jumanji turned out to be. Though with the sad untimely passing of Robin Williams, we get a brand now cast along with an revised format following on from the previous storyline. So given the enormous shoes this production has to fill, did Jumanji 2: Welcome to the Jungle pay rightful homage to it's roots and deliver yet more of the same fun and adventure, albeit this time on a much bigger scale? Just a quick warning that there will be mild spoilers ahead in regards only to the first movie.
Strangely enough, the movie's timeline is also set almost twenty one years after the events of the first. In 1996, a man retrieves the Jumanji board game after it got inadvertently washed up on a beach in New Hampshire. In fact, pretty much right where the last movie ended. He passes it on to his son Alex (played by Nick Jonas) who, deciding to play through it after the game miraculously transforms into a ROM cartridge, gets transported into the game world itself thus disappearing from real life altogether. Fast forward to present day and a bunch of unsuspecting teenagers come across the very same video game in their school, promptly after receiving detention from their teacher. They each are requested to choose an avatar before the game begins and are suddenly "sucked" into the cartridge itself, just as Alex had been some twenty years ago. As they all land in a vast, unfamiliar jungle, our four rookie adventurers consisting of Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Prof. Sheldon "Shelly" Oberan, Franklin "Mouse" Finbar and Ruby Roundhouse (played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan respectively) must fight their way out of this hostile "VR" environment in a frantic, perilous race against the clock.
Now, in all honesty, going into this movie, what would you really expect? A fun, family thrill ride that both kids and adults alike can both enjoy? Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson pulling his trademark facial expressions that somehow never seem to get old? Kevin Hart talking in a high pitched squeak whist delivering hilarious one-liners? Well, as you may have guessed by now, the most obvious answer would also be the right one. Once the movie starts, literally what you see is what you get. It's a story comprised of getting from A to B as linearly as possible. No frills, no narrative twists, no unnecessary side-story baggage. Whilst watching this at my local theatre, you could almost hear the next line being uttered before it was actually said by the characters. It's as "by the numbers" as you can get. But is that really a bad thing? Well, I would say not entirely speaking. After all, with a title like Jumanji 2: Welcome to the Jungle, nobody would knowingly walk into this for the complex dialogue or thought-provoking hidden messages. You get the "fun" factor in spades. The action is senseless and non-stop. Just how you want it to be. And the focus is purely for those willing to leave their brains at home. Just go along with what the movie asks of you and there is actually a fair amount of enjoyment to be had here.
In terms of acting, the stereotypes of each character in the movie are identical to their real life counterparts. However, because of the fact that they each display such polarised different characteristics to one another, this actually works in the movie's favour. The chemistry between all four protagonists is electric, especially the comedy boomerangs thrown from the likes of both Johnson and Hart. It's childish, light-hearted entertainment but carried out with a certain style and substance. Contextually speaking, of course. Black flits around the screen employing his usual campish debonair charm and Karen, the most "normal" of the bunch, pulling off some great situational gags of her own. It's down to these four alone that make everything feel fresh and pleasingly watchable. Which leads me to a few negatives. Namely, the main villain, who seems to have as much brain power as the movie itself. In a word, zilch! He is oh-so-forgettable and hands down the worse part of the movie. Lucky for us, his on-screen presence is a rarity so it shouldn't detract too much from the otherwise formulaic fun. Also, a movie of this type is most definitely not a "one size fits all". The barely serviceable plot and gimmicky nature will turn off many, I'm sure. But again, this movie makes no pretences as to what it is. So nobody can watch it and be surprised by what they get in return.
I thought Jumanji 2: Welcome to the Jungle was OK, at best. If you've ever seen a generic action flick in your life (of which there are absolute truckloads to choose from) then you know what you're getting into. The actors do what they're supposed to do and say what they're supposed to say. If you liked any of their previous work then chances are you'll be right at home with this one. However, in the same breath, I can't see this being viewed too many times after the first watch. In fact, my initial viewing I found to be more than enough entertainment I'd ever hope to get out of it. A good one-off piece of meaningless escapism.
My Verdict: (6.5/10)
