Synopsis

Jumanji: The Next Level brings the gang back to a game that has… evolved. To rescue one of their own, the players brave arid deserts and snowy mountains as they try to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

Film info

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina, Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Rhys Darby, Rory McCann

Director: Jake Kasdan
Writers: Jake Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg — based on the book Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

Review

Jumanji: The Next Level feels like a video game sequel in the best—and safest—sense: bigger scope, a couple of clever upgrades, and more spectacle, without straying far from what made Welcome to the Jungle a surprise crowd-pleaser. If you loved that film, you’ll likely have a great time here; if you didn’t, this won’t convert you.

Set roughly three years later, Spencer (Alex Wolff), Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), Martha (Morgan Turner) and Bethany (Madison Iseman) return home for winter break. Struggling with life in New York and now sharing a room with his recovering grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito), Spencer secretly repairs the shattered Jumanji console. When he disappears, the others go after him—only to discover they’ve accidentally brought Eddie and his estranged friend Milo (Danny Glover) into the game as well.

Part of the fun is watching the avatar actors switch gears. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart channel cranky seniors to charming effect, while Jack Black—playing Fridge at first—steals scenes with effortless physical comedy. Karen Gillan once again shines as Ruby Roundhouse, mixing timing and action chops, and Awkwafina’s new avatar adds a fresh dynamic. Rory McCann makes a suitably hulking villain as Jurgen the Brutal.

Plot-wise this is as straightforward as side-quests get: travel from set piece to set piece, nab the MacGuffins, save Jumanji. The “grandpas in a video game” gag lands early and often before wearing thin, and Johnson’s gravelly Eddie voice can grate over time, though the film wisely pivots before it outstays its welcome. Emotional beats—Spencer’s insecurity; Eddie and Milo’s long-standing rift—are painted with broad strokes but land well enough.

The action sequences are lively and cleanly staged—helped, in my case, by a 4DX screening. They’re not especially memorable, but they’re fun in the moment, which feels like the brief the movie sets and meets.

Jumanji: The Next Level isn’t perfect, but its cast chemistry and breezy charm make it an easy holiday crowd-pleaser. If this (technically fourth, if you ask Jack Black) entry is your thing, you’ll happily hit “continue.”