Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle wants to be a big, noisy adventure movie for teenagers, and mostly it succeeds. The problem is that the jokes are often bigger than the laughs, and the stakes feel less dangerous than the trailers suggested. It’s a fun ride, but it doesn’t quite land the way it promises.
Trailer, via Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Premise
Four high school misfits find themselves trapped inside a video game, where they take on the bodies of older characters. The setup is clever. The execution is less so.
Johnson and Hart
Dwayne Johnson plays Dr. Smolder Bravestone, a macho soldier who gets stuck in the body of a teenager. Kevin Hart plays Franklin, a nerdy kid whose character is the opposite. Together they form the comic engine, and together they’re the reason the film works at all.
Black and Gillan
Jack Black is Red, a seductive woman who becomes a man. Karen Gillan is Ruby Roundhouse, a fighter who gets stuck in the body of a girl. Their scenes are the best in the movie, full of physical comedy and genuine chemistry.
Challenges
The group has to complete a series of challenges to escape the game. That’s fine. The script leans on familiar beats, and the villains aren’t scary enough to make the stakes matter.
The stakes feel less dangerous than the trailers suggested.
Tone
The movie tries to balance action with humor, but the tone shifts constantly. One minute it’s a tense chase scene, the next it’s a joke about a character’s height. The result is a film that never commits to being either one.
Supporting Cast
The supporting cast includes Bobby Cannavale as a cop and Game Night’s Jason Sudeikis as a rival player. They add texture, but they don’t elevate the material around them.
Final Word
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is a decent family movie with a strong cast and some genuinely funny moments. It’s not a great movie, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s just a fun one.
