The Jumanji franchise is back again, in time for Christmas no less. Family and old friends are reunited for the season, and so are the four high-schoolers we got to know two years ago in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. In The Next Level, they return to the game that brought them together, but on a new mission with additional companions this time around.
When Spencer (Alex Wolff) decides to head back into the game, the rest of the team -- Martha (Morgan Turner), Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain) and Bethany (Madison Iseman) -- resolve to go after him. However, they're not the only ones returning to Jumanji. Spencer's grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his former friend Milo (Danny Glover) are also accidentally brought into the game.
Ostriches and a murderous warlord become new threats that the in-game avatars -- Dr Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon (Jack Black), Franklin "Mouse" Finbar (Kevin Hart) and Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) -- must overcome.
Interesting additions are, of course, the new cast members. The inclusion of the scene-stealing DeVito and Glover brings new dynamics into the story. Throughout the film, Eddie's grumpiness and Milo's softly-spoken slow speech became part of the running gags. When Eddie ends up being the burglar Ming Fleetfoot (a new in-game avatar played by Awkwafina) at one point in the movie, it becomes all the more fun. Imagine Awkwafina impersonating DeVito. It's actually pretty funny. And having Rory McCann playing the warlord Jurgen the Brutal, the story's antagonist, isn't bad either. I'd pay to watch The Hound and The Rock in a brawl. It definitely is a sight to behold. The roles of these new cast members offer quite a different vibe from the previous instalment that makes this one refreshing enough to watch.
The Next Level can be considered a likeable and entertaining sequel. It expands on the current premise within the Jumanji world, taking audiences and characters into new terrains we didn't see in Welcome To The Jungle. But while it may expand on geography and character ensemble, it unfortunately doesn't build much on concept.
Director Jake Kasdan plays it quite safe this time. Story-wise, the movie still pretty much follows a familiar pattern and rhythm set by its predecessor. In different parts, it feels as though the focus is on pulling off and landing individual jokes and gags, disrupting the pace a little. We don't see as much development in the story and characters as we'd like, as it perhaps should be to pull off the sentimental ending Kasdan intended. By the end of the film, I'm not sure we know the characters and their background well enough to really feel for them.
Jumanji will most likely rake in the bucks this festive season. And with its cliffhanger ending, it's almost a guarantee we'll be getting yet another sequel if this one hits the right box-office numbers. But do we really need it though? As fans of the 1995 version featuring the late Robin Williams, we've had our doubts coming into this modernised take on Jumanji. We've found things we like and things we feel so-so about. Going into the future, it'd be interesting to see where filmmakers will take this franchise. It's been pretty good up until now. In charging ahead, we only hope they can really take things to the next level, no pun intended.
- Jumanji: The Next Level
- Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan
- Directed by Jake Kasdan
