The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMovie reviews

Jumanji: The Next Level

Jumanji: The Next Level | Movie review
10 December 2019
The editorial unit
Avatar
The editorial unit
10 December 2019

Movie and show review

The editorial unit

Jumanji: The Next Level

★★★★★

Release date

13th December 2019

Certificate

UPG12A1518 title=

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

It’s more respawn and replay than bold new adventure in Jake Kasdan’s sequel Jumanji: The Next Level. While the star cast of avatars are as charming and mostly hilarious as in their first outing, it’s difficult to ignore the feeling that Kasdan’s sequel is merely aping the preceding film’s successful design.

When Spencer (Alex Wolff) returns home to New Hampshire from his depressing NYC-based college life, he distances himself from his former friends (Madison Iseman, Ser’Darius Blain, Morgan Turner). In order to escape dealing with these personal changes, including sharing his old room with ailing, stubborn grandpa Eddie (Danny DeVito), Spencer decides to fix the deadly Jumanji videogame and plug-in. As the ominous drum-beats sound, the team must jump back into the jungle to rescue their friend. However, inhospitable terrain, hostile wildlife and murderous hordes are the least of their problems when they realise that Eddie and his former friend Milo (Danny Glover) have accidentally joined the squad.

Enter our avatar heroes (Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillen and Jack Black) free-falling from the sky, exchanging jokes on identity mismatch and explaining the same movie-objective to restore a magic jewel-shaped MacGuffin. Kasdan and Jeff Pinkner’s screenplay is often too familiar for its own good. There’s a definite lack of inspiration when the filmmaker relies too much on slight variations of the same routines to keep the audience engaged.  

The stars do entertain with their new personalities, though they often struggle to maintain that laughter after the opening gags. Johnson and franchise newcomer Awkwafina tickle with their delightful imitation of DeVito’s often explosive abrasiveness (Awkwafina has DeVito’s squat posture and New Jersey drawl perfect), while Hart shows some comedic range with his take-off of Glover’s deliberate explanations. Black only starts to shine when channelling the cutely superficial Bethany again. Gillen strides with new assuredness, her deadly nunchuck skills adding extra gusto to her obligatory “fight-dance”. Despite their chemistry lacking freshness, this hapless but good-natured bunch are still a joy to watch.

The Next Level doesn’t disappoint with rebooting the family-friendly action thrills, ironic humour and unashamed sentimentality of Welcome to the Jungle. It’s just a shame that after that surprisingly successful revival, this follow-up doesn’t raise the franchise anywhere above that level.

★★★★★

James Humphrey

Jumanji: The Next Level is released nationwide on 13th December 2019.

Watch the trailer for Jumanji: The Next Level here:

Related Itemsreview

More in Movie reviews

The Railway Children Return

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

Minions: The Rise of Gru

★★★★★
Sarah Bradbury
Read More

Nitram

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

The Princess

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

We (Nous)

★★★★★
Jake Cudsi
Read More

Tigers

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

Theo and the Metamorphosis

★★★★★
Oliver Johnston
Read More

The Big Hit

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

The editorial unit

Jumanji: The Next Level

★★★★★

Release date

13th December 2019

Certificate

UPG12A1518 title=

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Minions: The Rise of Gru
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • The Terminal List
    ★★★★★
    amazon
  • Baymax!
    ★★★★★
    disney
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Secret Cinema Presents Stranger Things: An uncanny, immersive delight
A Taste of Honey at Trafalgar Studios | Theatre review