Jumanji The Next Level (12A)

16th December 2019

Release Date: 13th December 2019

4.5/5 Stars 

The gang from the first film make an unexpected return to Jumanji after making their way in the real world post the last film. So, as you expect with the return to Jumanji the gang have a serious of quests to complete and of course a new bad guy threatens the way of life in Jumanji. However, the group return back to the same avatars lead by Dr Bravestone (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) but all mixed up in different bodies and new abilities and weaknesses, with surprise introduction to Danny De Vito (Spencer's Grandad) taking the lead Avatar's role. Kevin Hart was without doubt the brilliant class clown again but was being controlled by an older person (Spencer's grandad's friend) which made hilarious viewing and kept the on screen chemistry as good as ever between Kevin Hart and the rock.   Although the plot followed the same storyline as last time it was still a thrilling ride with of course plenty of action and laughs along the way. The threat of the villain could have been a bit bigger but with the gang after some body-swapping picked up on their skills from the last film to save the day.   All in all, the film continues to improve on the first one with more comedy and action and twists to keep it interesting. Watching this in a screenX screen also contributed to the experience of this blockbuster hit, highly recommended.  

Review by Barry James