The promotional material for the film: still photos, trailers, etcetera, made it look horrible and I had already made up my mind. Thinking that this film was going to be trash wasn't the right thing to do. This film is hilarious. It's entertaining and action-packed, and it's also, touching. Director Jake Kasdan crafts a special, action film that has lots of comedy, including (several male genitalia jokes), which, by the way, is something that makes the film more entertaining.
What's completely genius about this film, is having the game as a video game, instead of the original board game. On top of all that, the characters in the film, four teenage deliquents, who are stuck in dentention, get sucked into the game as their chosen game characters.
Two boys. Two girls. One of the girls gets stuck in the body of Shelley Oberon-(a man. not a woman, as the girl thought) Aka "an overweight, middle-aged man". This makes the girl, Bethany, and her avatar, played by Jack Black, the bud of the jokes in the entire film. Lead character, Spencer, whose avatar is the fearless Smolder Bravestone, played by Dwayne Johnson. Following, are Spencer's friend "Fridge" avatar-Franklin "Moose" Finbar, played by none other than Kevin Hart, Last you have a shy, anti-P.E girl Martha, avatar- Ruby Roundhouse, played by Karen Gillan. Let me just say that Gillan is queen of buttkicking. Black and Hart are hilarious, Johnson is the leader.
The action sequences go hand-in-hand with film and well, "Jumanji". The action is all-in part by the efforts of the comedy and with the desire to save jumanji and get out of the game. It's exciting. It's crazy and thrilling overall.
Composer Henry Jackman, makes a wild score while also recreating the infamous drums sounds from the original film. When you hear that sound, you know something crazy is coming. Jackmans score gives the film an extra boost of energy, rightly so, that it would still be enjoyable if no score, just the drums were used for a dramatic effect.
Ladies and Gentlemen. May I introduce to you Guns N' Roses, singing their hit song "Welcome to The Jungle". Okay, all jokes aside. This film has it all. Action. Hilarity and heart. Williams charcter, Allan Parrish, was paid homage in this film which made it all the more touching. This film is surprisingly one of the years best action and comedic films.
Rate: A
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black
MPAA Rating: PG-13-(for adventure action, suggestive content and some language)
Runtime: 2 Hours
Synopsis: When four high-school kids discover an old video game console with a game they've never heard of--Jumanji--they are immediately drawn into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming the avatars they chose: gamer Spencer becomes a brawny adventurer (Dwayne Johnson); football jock Fridge loses (in his words) "the top two feet of his body" and becomes an Einstein (Kevin Hart); popular girl Bethany becomes a middle-aged male professor (Jack Black); and wallflower Martha becomes a badass warrior (Karen Gillan). What they discover is that you don't just play Jumanji--you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they'll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves--or they'll be stuck in the game forever...
Malawski’s Movie Rating System
A+ = Exceptional, One of a Kind, Masterpiece. Definite award season contender
A= Pure enjoyment, happy feeling. Satisfaction
A- = One to remember. Unforgettable
B+ = Can get a little over the top. But, it makes out as a good film.
B= This film has the potential to be better. Lacks in consistency
B- = Watches occasionally
C+ = Guilty pleasure territory
C= Causes viewer frustration due to lack of depth in the story
C-= Meh
D+ = I hated this movie. Some parts were good. Overall, the film was garbage
D= Very few to no good parts about this movie
D- = Minimal qualities of excellence
F= Don’t even bother watching it. It’s that bad.
| Photo: Columbia Pictures |
