Movie Review
I had my reservations about this one. I loved the first one and I still miss Robin Williams…
But the media machine made me curious about it. Plus I really like Dwayne Johnson, cheese factor and all.
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (Release Date: December 20, 2017)
In a brand new Jumanji adventure, four high school kids discover an old video game console and are drawn into the game’s jungle setting, literally becoming the adult avatars they chose. What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji – you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves – or they’ll be stuck in the game forever.
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, and Kevin Hart
Director: Jake Kasdan
Rating/ Runtime: PG-13 1hr 59
My Thoughts…
So, I don’t know if you know this, but this movie is KILLING IT at the box office! Blowing movies like The Justice League (Haven’t seen it yet) out of the water. There’s a reason for it, despite the slight odor of cheese surrounding it, it’s a really fun movie!
It in no way copies the original except for the idea of “Jumanji” and a subtle homage to Robin William’s character “Alan Parrish”. This was what I was worried about. I was not interested in seeing a reboot. There are far too many unnecessary reboots these days if you ask me, but rest assured this isn’t one of them.
The cast that plays both the high school kids and their avatars (LOL) are fantastic! It’s awesome seeing the adult actors (the avatars) play characters so completely opposite of what they usually play, and for once Kevin Hart didn’t annoy me to death. I actually found him entertaining.
They also nailed the video game concept and since I come from a family of gamers, I loved that!
Really, this is just a fun, action-packed flick that will give you a good 2 hrs of mindless entertainment.
Rating… A
Reads & Reels 
I have not been able to let go of my love for Williams and the first enough to view this one, but my daughter also shared your thoughts after seeing it with friends. And I am an admitted fan of Dwayne Johnson as well. I think his personality just radiates fun on screen. So I will probably give in and check this out on BluRay when released 🙂
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Don’t worry! It doesn’t undermine the original in any way. I think you’ll like it!
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Great review! 🙂 I liked this movie, too. It was a lot of fun, and seeing Jack Black play a teenage girl was hilarious. The actors all did a great job playing their unconventional roles.
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I too am too pro-original to want to give this movie a shot, but like you… I feel like it still deserves a shot hahah I ain’t a big fan of the Rock as he seems to be the same character in whichever movie he plays hahah You definitely made me consider it for a family-time movie once it comes out on Netflix though! 😛 Thanks for sharing!
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Yes I agree he’s always himself in movies but it is a good pick for a family movie. Nothing beats the original though!
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I’m with you! I adored this movie! Everything you said was spot on. It was such a clever idea for a sequel and perfectly executed. Now I kind of want to see it again. I think I could watch it over and over without tiring of it.
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They did a good job! It’s relatable for kids today and nostalgic for us 😊
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Okay, now I’m excited to see this one.
I LOVED the original. I think I was the perfect age when it came out. This one, though…well, you voiced my concerns perfectly. But now I’ll be looking for an opportunity/excuse to go see it. I do love Jack Black, for some mysterious reason.
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Yes his appeal remains a mystery to all I think 😂. No worries it’s not a reboot. I hope you like it.
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Just gotta convince my wife it’s worth her time now!
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The Rock isn’t her cup of tea lol?
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I think she remembers the first Jumanji movie as being too scary, and she doesn’t really like Jack Black (and yet, Nacho Libre is one of her favorite movies? She’s an enigma to me.)
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Lol that’s hilarious! Well this one isn’t scary at all and I really dislike Kevin Hart but even he was funny in it.
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Agreed. I took my son to see this last week and we really enjoyed it. 2 hours of fun and laughs.
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Exactly!
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Exactly!! I loved how different it was to the first movie. The video game aspect was a fantastic idea. I’m glad it’s box office hit. And Jack Black was amazing!!
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He was hilarious! I don’t think I would have liked it had it been like the first one. This was good ☺
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I agree!!! Maybe that will be a lesson for the future. If reboot change it drastically.;-)
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Agreed lol!
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My son saw this over Christmas and loved it! I had my doubts from the previews, but looks like they pulled it off.
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Trust me, I was totally skeptical but they did. It was really enjoyable.
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