Review of Jumanji (1995) by Filius S — 19 Jan 2016

If you were between the ages of 5-15 during the 90s, there's a damn good chance you've watched Jumanji, or possibly even owned it on VHS. Maybe it's because Robin Williams was extremely bankable on this film's release, maybe it's because there's only so many films that come out for children every year, or maybe it's because Jumanji takes elements that kids love and makes an good film out of it. Those elements? Wild animals, games, comedy, mystery, a likable cast, and a relatable story.

The film begins with some guys burying a mysterious chest. Fast forward a half century, or maybe a full one, it's not important. A young boy named Sam Parrish is out and about in 1969 just kicking it, and by kicking it, I mean getting kicked by random bullies. His dad isn't much help, and the advice he gives him ends up getting his ass beat double. On his way home he inexplicably goes into a construction site and finds a chest half buried, and pulls it out of the area without anyone wondering what this kid is doing wandering about hauling a wooden chest around. Later at dinner, Parrish ups the ante and he decides to mouth off to his father. His dad doesn't take that shit because he's an Ayn Randian capitalist, and decides to boot him out into boarding school. Later, Sam Parrish links up with Sarah Whittle, a local friend, and they decide to play some Jumanji, which is what the chest contained. Because the game is magic, and Parrish has an endless string of shit luck, he gets sucked into the jungle by the game, and his friend is chased away by crazy bats. 30 or so years later, the game is found in the attic by the new tenants of the house, a boy and his vaguely Kirstin Dunstish sister, who decide to play it one day and continue the madness unleashed 30 years earlier. Will they be able to save Parrish? Will they be able to beat Jumanji? Watch the movie and check it out... or read the Wikipedia article that tells you the plot instead. I'm not your mom.

I checked out some reviews before writing this review and found that the movie had a lot of negative ratings. Critics called the movie too scary for children, which is a bit bizarre, considering kids in the 90s were always trying to stay up late and watch scary movies. I mean, I watched The Shining, Alien, The Exorcist, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre by the time I was in the sixth grade, and if anything I thought all that stuff was really cool. I even remember having a conversation with my dad in the third grade that I wanted to be allowed to watch R rated movies because they were usually the best ones. Another complaint I read was that the film jumps from special effects sequence to special effects sequence, while the plot just serves to link these elements together. That's a load of shallow bullshit though, because the film is actually the reverse; using a string of special effects sequences, the characters are able to develop and the plot is allowed to unfold.

Adults have a habit of infantilizing children, treating them like retarded mini humans that need to be protected from every perceived evil in the world. I mean, did all these adults forget how sneaky they were when they were kids? Did adulthood turn people into naive morons with a superiority complex? Kids can use technology better, faster and to a greater degree of accuracy than the generation before them, and the attitude to call a film like Jumanji too scary is the same attitude in full force, and which is why we're stuck with a bunch of nerf-padded family movies without a sliver of real tension nowadays. It's a real pity too, because Jumanji delivers thrills in much the same way that Jurassic Park did. Is it as good a film as Jurassic Park? No shot. But it's still really damn good, and does something that JP didn't, and that was have a lot of really emotional moments with strong morals. Parrish's relationship with his dad becomes a defining characteristic of his personality. The trauma of the loss that Sarah experiences with the disappearance of Parrish defines her character. As a result of their flaws, the characters in this film are allowed to grow, and when they realize their strengths and identify their weaknesses, the story really shines in ways that very few films are capable of pulling off.

TL;DR - 8/10.

What makes Jumanji special is the combination of a decent story, good actors and well developed characters. The effects are a bit dated, but still hold up well enough, delivering thrilling moments of tension and adventure in suburban America. The film is not only a good watch for children, but a good one for families and adults. Jumanji is the type of movie that you might watch and cause you to call your parents, just to say hi, after the fact.