The Fantastic, Star-Studded Remake of The Last Adventure Comedy, Now Streaming on Netflix
By Chris Snellgrove | Published
When I heard we were starting over JumanjiI was filled with fear. The original film was very special to me: it was a master class in acting by the late, great Robin Williams, and the plot of getting stuck in a board game scared me and delighted my child. I thought any remake of this iconic film would be an insult to Williams and everyone from the original Jumanji. Also, the first sequel, Zathura: A Space Adventurewhich was such a small blip on the pop culture radar that I’d bet my board game collection has already forgotten it ever existed.
So, I entered my local theater in 2017, I think Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle it would be complete rubbish and I would hate-watch it from start to finish. However, much to my surprise, the movie used the first one Jumanji as the first way to tell a fictional and original story featuring a strange cast of characters that came together shockingly well. The result is a modern comedy that’s as funny as it is family-friendly, and you can stream it on Netflix.
Like a rock
In Jumanji: Welcome to the Junglethe titular tabletop adventure has been adapted into a ’90s video game console for hapless high school students. They fired up this retro machine and quickly entered the world of the game, which was greatly inspired by everything that appeared Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom for adults It’s a trap video game. To return to reality, these young people (each trapped inside an old body) must win the game. That means finding a way to stop its last boss: a crazy professor who controlled animals and turned everything in the forest it became a weapon.
The cast of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle eclectic, to put it mildly. Dwayne Johnson does his usual thing as an action hero, but he mercifully leans into his softer side to embrace the broad comedy of this cinematic caper. The big punchlines come courtesy of two very different comedians: Kevin Hart, who does his wacky schtick as a pink-sized sidekick, and Jack Black, who hilariously plays against type as a teenage girl stuck in a man’s body. Heading the cast is Karen Gillan, who debuted Doctor Who a friend who has now fully embraced his Marvel transformation as a modern action star.
If You Die in a Game, You Die in Real Life
The stakes have never felt so high Jumanji: Welcome to the Junglebut that’s actually part of its charm. This is a great movie if you want to grab a beer and just curl up on the couch for some unadulterated entertainment. It’s great to watch with your friends because you don’t have to take the plot too seriously, and everyone you watch will love at least one member of the unusual cast. If your kids are too young, this PG-13 movie is fun for the whole family, and if your teens live on Discord, they’ll enjoy the plot of being trapped in a life-or-death video game.
While Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle it’s not an original movie, it’s a great example of how a movie can be greater than the sum of its parts. It is based on the original Jumanjiand brings some of the “kids trapped in a beautiful world” elements of classics like Honey, I’m Shrinking the Children. Its action/adventure elements are what you get when you smash the Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises. Also, the movie borrows heavily from the modern Marvel formula, with a fast pace that always finds time for some amazing jokes and unexpected one-liners.
Clean, Quiet Fun
As you can tell, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle not a good choice for anyone looking for an original film. But if you like the movies mentioned above, this action adventure is actually a buffet of sorts. It’s not a high-end buffet, either, but one of those local places that specializes in greasy carb bombs that slow your heart down in a “too painful” kind of way. In the spirit of those buffets, Welcome to the Jungle it’s not a healthy part of your cinematic diet. But for anyone who wants to eat the guilty pleasure of a movie, however, this is it Jumanji reboot comes into place.
Accordingly, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle it’s true to the franchise’s roots. This is not a movie that will change your life, and it was not in danger of taking home an Academy Award. But like all good board games and video games, it delivers the best kind of distraction in the form of a breezy plot, interesting characters, and infectious humor. Whenever you’re ready for a much-needed break from the trials and tribulations of our hellish world, here’s good news: now you can stream Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle on Netflix.
It should be completely safe. After all, there is it is impossible you might be stuck in this movie for the next two decades, right?
