I don’t think anyone expected a soft reboot of the classic not-as-good-as-you-remember Robin Williams film, Jumanji, to be anything remotely compelling. However, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle turned out to be a genuinely fun comedy where director, Jake Kasdan, and writers, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg, and Jeff Pinkner, were able to make the most out of a tightly constructed premise, and a cast that was going all-in on the body switching gimmick that provided not only some of the film’s best gags, but also legitimate pathos for its characters. It was a pleasant surprise and a box office juggernaut (seriously, it almost hit a billion!), which means it must now be mined for franchising.
Jake Kasdan returns as director, even serving as a writer alongside Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg. Taking place some time after the events of the first, the film sees the return of friends Bethany (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), and Martha (Morgan Turner), who go to Spencer’s (Alex Wolff) house, only to find him gone, and the Jumanji video game fully repaired and operational. The three get sucked in, but they aren’t the only ones since Spencer’s grandfather, Eddie (Danny DeVito), and his friend, Milo (Danny Glover), are taken into the game as well.
We also have the return of the avatars, Dr. Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Professor Shelly (Jack Black), Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), and Mouse Finbar (Kevin Hart). Now with our characters back in the game, some taking the same avatars, while others are switched around, the group must help Eddie and Milo with their avatars as they go on a new adventure to find Spencer, and escape Jumanji once again.
I recall my first impressions of Welcome To The Jungle feeling like it was a competently made and reasonably fun film, but ultimately a disposable one that doesn’t provide much beyond surface level enjoyment. Over time, I came to admire the thought that went into the film, the world that it setup, and the ways they explored that world. So, sure enough, my first impressions on The Next Level coming right out of the theater is…that it’s a competently made and reasonably fun film, but ultimately a disposable one that doesn’t provide much beyond surface level enjoyment.
As a sequel, I don’t think there’s a lot in place here to justify revisiting this world. The only major additions are a couple new avatars, and some new tools for the characters to utilize while in the game. For the most part, it feels like business as usual as the characters go on another adventure where a jewel has to be retrieved from a bad guy. There are some interesting things being done with the characters and I like how they continue to grow over the course of these two movies, but because the busy work is mostly the same, it does feel a lot like seeing things we’ve already seen before.
What helps is that the two big things that the last film had going for it still works, and that’s the comedy and the cast. The Next Level is very funny. Hart having to do an impression of Glover is a joy to watch, and while Johnson’s attempt to capture DeVito’s delivery is not quite there, his imperfect attempt is endearing and fun to watch in its own right. Nobody is phoning it in, and even when it gets to moments like Awkwafina, who plays a new avatar, having a somber moment with a horse, it still works as a gag as well as providing real emotional heft.
I’m not sure what the greater expectations for something like Jumanji: The Next Level are for people out there, but as a fun little distraction, it totally does the job for anyone looking for something inoffensive and pleasant for the whole family this holiday season. The filmmakers know how to put together something that moves fast, and keeps you just invested enough in the characters to keep things engaging. The cast is excellent, and a joy to watch bouncing off one another. While I wished the film could have dug deeper into more unique adventures and obstacles, and possibly tackling different video game tropes, I was still having a good time while watching it. However, if the mid-credits scene is of any indication, if a third installment gets made, there might still be some levels worth exploring in the future.