Jumanji: The Next Level

“I think he went back in. We gotta go get him.”

Filmology Rating: 2.63 out of 4

Jumanji: The Next Level is the sequel to the 2017 'Jumanji' film that did ridiculously well at the box office. So we obviously have a sequel. 

This time, we have two new characters played by Danny DeVito and Danny Glover. And by certain instances, our returning cast, as well as Glover and DeVito, are pulled into the game of Jumanji, again. With a film like this, you have the trouble of veering too far from the original and people complaining it's not the same thing, but if it is the same thing, then people complain about that. However, this isn't a film to get too up-and-arms about being the same because it's simply meant to entertain you and I mostly enjoyed this film throughout - though it does feel like the same movie. 

Adding the little gimmick of DeVito and Glover probably saved this film from being too similar from the last. When transported in the game, we have The Rock doing an impersonation of Danny DeVito and Kevin Hart doing one of Danny Glover and both do such an excellent job at embodying the essence of those two.

Kevin Hart was arguably the worst part of the last film because it was Kevin Hart doing his usual schtick of running around and screaming. In this, Hart is forced to be very slow and restrained because that's very much how Glover is. 

The Rock was also a bland element of the last film because he was just playing himself. In this film, he must be DeVito and him and Hart's banter made a lot of the film very funny and entertaining.

However, near the end, something happens with all of our characters involving water which results in The Rock being boring again and Kevin Hart being annoying. I was greatly disappointed by that decision in particular.

The first half of this film is throughly entertaining. However, the second half does drag as more characters are introduced and characters begin to lose sight of what character they're supposed to be acting like.  Jack Black and Karen Gillan are both somewhat restrained as well. It definitely feels like The Rock and Kevin Hart's star-power drove what happened in this film and who played what character.

This is the type of the film where you cannot be too caught up in technicalities and fine details because this film is a video game. So getting into finer details just triggers a deeper conversation about video games, which I do not care to do. For what the film is, it's just fine. 

The interpersonal aspects between all the characters was present and was appreciated. There is more happening in the film with the characters other than just plot. However, very often, the entire pace of the film comes to a halting stop so that two characters can have "their scene." The film stops just for that and it made for a rockier second act. 

The villain is played 'Game of Thrones' star Rory McCann who is just the baddie the heros need to punch. Very underdeveloped, but, again, it's a video game. 

The last remaining issue is with a more sentimental scene near the end involving a horse. It was so strange because it's a horse and I had no idea on what I was supposed to be feeling at that moment. 

The score was actually something I wanted to touch on because the music of 'Lawrence of Arabia' pops up in yet another movie. But it's not that exact song, but rather a remix of it. It was very odd, but otherwise the music itself fit the adventure tone of the film rather well.

I throughly enjoyed most of this film, but it does feel like 'Jumanji: Again.' It does feel slightly long, but it's very funny and a purely fun film.

Rating: See It

-Nolan