Review: Jumanji Is A Strong Finish For 2017
- Dec 28, 2017
- 1 min read
I never thought I would be saying this but...here we are.
A bunch of school kids, some friends, some not, get drawn into a video game by the name of Jumanji. Once in the game they inhabit the bodies of the game's heroes and must complete an epic quest to return to reality. If they fail they will be trapped forever, or worse.
I'll be damned. Jumanji is a good movie. Not great, but good, really good. It's funny, cool and, on occasion, very clever. Fully embracing the video game concept and utilizing common mechanics such as respawning, limited lives and strengths/weaknesses, Jumanji delivers some of the best comedic moments of 2017. It's explosive, exciting and loads of fun.
Jack Black gives a show stealing performance as a vapid teenage girl trapped within Jack Black, a role that garners almost every laugh of the film, and they're mostly well earned. Dwayne Johnson also delivers, playing The Rock but frightened of pretty much everything. It's great to see him acting out of type, even if it doesn't last forever. Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan are somewhat sidelined next to these megastars and while Hart manages to get one or two moments in, Gillan is left with little to do.
As someone who has no real ties to the original, I can safely say that this is a superior film, one that earns the right to exist. I can easily recommend Jumanji to anyone seeking a solidly entertaining popcorn flick.
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