Jumanji – The Next Level, a comedy/adventure where four teenagers are sucked into Jumanji‘s world, the very place where they have to escape an endless variety of jungle traps and survive, is a movie almost as good as Jumanji – Welcome To The Jungle (2017). 

There is a fair amount of newness in this second instalment to keep things interesting. Firstly, the characters are on a completely new level with new dangers, traps and puzzles. Then there’s the welcome addition of Danny DeVito and Danny Glover’s characters. Yet, even with all this newness and more, the main reason director Jake Kasdan’s latest didn’t come out in front for me is in large part because sequels just can’t be as ‘fresh, new and exciting’ as their predecessors.

I found the ending of the first movie/the solving of the final puzzle, a tad more satisfying and action-packed. That’s not to say that Kasdan’s film doesn’t feature some very well-choreographed action sequences of its own, because the scene with the mandrills and bridges is quite impressive.

In terms of the characters, DeVito as grandpa is the main highlight for me. Followed by the parts played by Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson, unsurprisingly. I just love their great chemistry, comic timing and fun dialogue. I also remember particularly appreciating Hart’s delivery of the below line, in Glover’s speaking voice and cadence. 

‘Did I die – and turn into some kind of muscular Boy Scout?’

One more highlight is of course, the ‘special skill’ of the beautiful black horse.

Watch Jumanji – The Next Level because you’re curious and it’s good. Also, especially if you had fun watching 2017’s Jumanji movie.

Happy Film Loving,

G