Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

A direct sequel to 1995’s Jumanji, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle follows four teenagers as they’re unwittingly sucked into the title video game and subsequently forced, in the respective guises of their avatars (Dwayne Johnson’s Smolder Bravestone, Kevin Hart’s Franklin “Mouse” Finbar, Karen Gillan’s Ruby Roundhouse, and Jack Black’s Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon), to complete a perilous mission involving a mythical jewel and a sinister bad guy (Bobby Cannavale’s Van Pelt). Director Jake Kasdan has infused Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle with a very slick, very fast-paced sensibility that is, for the most part, rather difficult to resist, with the pervasively affable atmosphere perpetuated by a fun, tongue-in-cheek storyline and a raft of better-than-expected performances – with, in terms of the latter, the four stars delivering stand-out and often hilarious work that elevates the proceedings on a scene-to-scene basis. (Black, playing a stereotypical teenage mean girl, remains a highlight from start to finish.) It’s just as clear, however, that the movie’s overlong running time paves the way for a decidedly erratic second half, as the inclusion of a few comparatively needless and padded-out sequences wreak havoc on the picture’s momentum and ultimately diminish the effectiveness of the action-packed climax (although the heartwarming final few minutes do manage to pack a more emotional punch than one might’ve anticipated) – with the end result is a decent sequel that’s generally right in line with its watchable yet far-from-flawless predecessor.

*** out of ****