JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL: The Replay Value Is High With This Game
If there is one thing this movie proves, it’s that star power can break through any conventional plotting. Jumanji: The Next Level is more of the same movie we got two years ago. If you were a fan of seeing the comedy dynamic amongst Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black, you are guaranteed to enjoy this.
When I first finished Welcome to the Jungle, a movie I loved, I commented that a good idea for a sequel would be having the teenagers return to the game but with their avatars switched, so Johnson, Hart, Gillen, and Black would have to portray new archetypes. After all, a game’s avatar is fixed, but the player can always change. Fortunately, that’s exactly where The Next Level goes.
The film brings back the teenagers (Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Morgan Turner, and Madison Iseman), who are now in their early college years. When the gang sees that Spencer (Wolff) went back into the game, they enter in the hopes of bringing him back. This time, however, the game includes three new faces: Spencer’s grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito), Eddie’s longtime friend Milo (Danny Glover), and Awkwafina as a new avatar.
Unlimited Charisma
Just like before, more than half of the humor comes from the human characters reacting to their avatars being physically different from themselves. The twist this time is two of the avatars are practically useless. Johnson channels DeVito, capitalizing on the “muscular but dumb brute” trope by playing an old man reacting to himself being able to finally move his hips after surgery. Hart, on the other hand, takes his fast-talking trait and flips it over its head by embracing Glover’s habit of talking too slowly.
Meanwhile, Jack Black gets to be a black dude. It’s absolutely hysterical. With half of the team having no sense of what a game is, the game levels being completely new, and Spencer missing, the stakes are understandably higher and the team dynamic is as unpredictable as ever.
Juggling the Film and the Game’s Protagonists
Though the narrative overall is undeniably messier and more chaotic than before, The Next Level still manages to find a good enough story to tell that can resonate with both the kids and the adults. With the teenagers in college, the film finds time to explore understandable conflicts like figuring out oneself and remaining close with friends so as to not grow apart. At the same time, the script includes a thoughtful subplot involving DeVito and Glover’s characters.
Where the script falls into a bit of tricky territory is how it tries to tell both plotlines through its protagonists – the film’s protagonists are played by supporting avatars in the game, while the film’s supporting characters are played by leading avatars in the game.
Fortunately, I never lost track of who’s who, and screenwriters Jake Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg know when to take a break from the action to move some character drama forward. The newcomers all have a moment to shine, and with all the joking aside, the movie still has something to say. After all, the original 1995 Jumanji starring Robin Williams had a moving father-son storyline.
Jumanji: The Next Level: Everyone’s Having Fun
When every actor is having the time of their lives on screen, the fun seeps into the audience almost effortlessly. The charisma and improvisational acting makes for an infectiously entertaining time in the theater for the whole family.
Jumanji: The Next Level is a sequel that respects the success of its predecessor; the replay value is high with this game. Building off of the foundation established by Welcome to the Jungle, The Next Level makes calculated story decisions that make logical sense in terms of both game rules and continuity. It’s a clear sign of writers knowing what they’re doing.
Judging from the mid-credits scene, I have a hunch as to where the next sequel will go, and I love the sound of it. As long as the Jumanji films stay energetic, funny, and entertaining, I will always come back to see these actors. Make Jack Black play a blonde valley girl in every single one of them and I wouldn’t care.
Did you see Jumanji: The Next Level? What did you think of the film? Share below!
Jumanji: The Next Level was released in theaters in the US on December 13, 2019. For all international release dates, click here.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
