Wow, where has the time gone? Jumanji: The Next Level came out forever ago, yet somehow I am just getting around to reviewing it. Talk about dropping the controller…I mean ball.
Let’s return to Jumanji with all our favourite characters. There’s the former pro wrestler, the small stand up comedian who yells everything, the guy most remembered for playing a music teacher, and the bald girl from the Marvel Universe. When you bunch all of them together, it does sound like an exciting video game.
You have to realize that absolutely nothing new happens, plotwise, in The Next Level. Yes, the character switch up adds a new layer of comedy-drama to the situation, but if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Even when you throw in some new characters, the plot remains the exact same as before. “Here’s the problem, perform these actions, complete the task, and save the day.” I have heard some criticism that this is just another place holder for a third movie, which should be better than the previous two.
Since I’m already pretty famous in my inner circle for going against the grain, I’ll just come out and say it: I wasn’t a fan of Jumanji: The Next Level. But, the sequels will keep coming because Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart sell movie tickets. No one goes to watch Jack Black or Karen Gillan, it’s all about Johnson and Hart. As long as those two remain attached to the project and Nick Jonas continues to grow his acting career, they will keep producing these cookie-cutter live-action video game movies. 3/10
Ten Stars or Less 