'Jumanji: The Next Level' is exactly what you'd expect it to be - which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you need an adventure movie that you can take your nan too or sit the family down to watch. Having said that, it is unpredictable in its diverse performances and the constant character changes. Seeing Kevin Hart playing an 80-year-old-man opposite Jack Black as a 20-year-old girl offers some good quality giggles. There's even characters playing horses!
'The Next Level' focuses on the original team getting sucked back into the game after realising Spencer is missing. Surprisingly, the game sucks in everyone in from the house - including Spencer's grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and Milo (Danny Glover). The film plays with the humour of two elderly patrons being pulled into the game and placed in the bodies of physically fit, young people.
'JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL' TRAILER 2
Much in the theme of the last one, the team must complete a quest without losing all their lives in order to return home. It still does well playing with the nuances of game theory and interweaving video game components, although it could have improved slightly with the game's story.
This movie plays to its purpose, which is to entertain and have fun. Danny Glover and Danny DeVito give the sequel a fresh storyline without straying from the film's original framework. What was a little disappointing was the laziness of the writing. At times, the story lost momentum and the narrative was put on hold for unnecessary jokes, and the jokes that did exist were often a little repetitive.
The film is punchy, landing some great jokes that will make you laugh out loud, with an entertaining, slightly predictable story.
What was fun in the first 'Jumanji' was the suspense that was created by unpredictable and motivated deaths. 'Jumanji: The Next Level' has too many irrelevant deaths and game clues that were far too loosely tied in, the downfall of this being there was never really any skin in the game; we weren't left feeling as though any characters were at stake.
The film is punchy, landing some great jokes that will make you laugh out loud, with an entertaining, slightly predictable story. It wasn't as good as the first 'Jumanji', but it is a great quality sequel and is full of family fun!