Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

December 15, 2019 1:57 PM

In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has changed. As they return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own, they discover that nothing is as they expect. The players will have to brave parts unknown and unexplored, from the arid deserts to the snowy mountains, in order to escape the world's most dangerous game.
posted by DirtyOldTown (5 comments total)

This is a pleasant enough time, a competently executed FX-heavy sequel that delivers more of the same from its well-liked predecessor. Awkwafina and Danny DeVito are fun additions. For me this slots into that gray area where no one needs to see it, but it's fun enough piffle that you could do much worse.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:00 PM on December 15, 2019 [3 favorites]

I saw it today and I liked it. Dwayne Johnson is a better actor than he usually gets credit for. Awkwafina and Danny DeVito are fun additions. If you liked the first one, you will probably like this one too. It was a diverting time. Not a "must see this!" kind of movie, but a very solid follow-up with more of the same plus some twists.
posted by gemmy at 8:28 PM on December 15, 2019 [2 favorites]

I'm a big fan of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and have been looking forward to this for months. I even rematched both previous Jumanji movies with friends over the past couple weeks in preparation.

So having memories of the sublime* moments of the first one fresh in my brain, this was more disappointing to me than probably necessary.

I didn't watch trailers, so Awkwafina was a very welcome surprise, and once they did the big body swap it was a huge relief to have Spencer back in the Rock's body and Awkawafina channeling DeVito. Rock-As-Eddie was almost cringey for me.

Bethany in the body of a horse was also an uncomfortable choice, and when it swapped back to her in Jack Black, that "reunion" was nice to see.

I don't regret my time spent with this film, and was especially happy with more time with the group from the last movie, overall this one wasn't as tight and tidy. I won't rewatch this as much as I will J:WTTJ (which fits in a similar place in my brain as Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok), and if there's a third movie, I might not see it in theaters.

___
* There are a lot of very valid criticisms that can be made of the previous film wrt tropes and stereotypes, but overall I think it's a fun and funny movie. There's good chemistry, good puzzles, and enjoyable integration of game mechanics.
posted by itesser at 12:59 AM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Awkwafina was great. I had no idea who she was but her portrayals of Spencer and his grandfather were the best part of the film. The Rock and Kevin Hart were also great.

I was disappointed in Jack Black's Bethany. He was just doing the voice from the first film whereas Bethany is now older and more mature.

The story was not too bad except for the events that kicked off the whole plot. The film should have ended with the group kicking the shit out of Spencer for his idiotic choices that got them almost killed.
posted by AndrewStephens at 10:31 AM on December 16, 2019

Decent execution, terrible idea.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:35 AM on December 17, 2019