Review of Jumanji (1995) by Pierre G — 15 Aug 2014

To honor one of my childhood-favorites who sadly passed away, I'm going to review one of the many movies I loved as a kid, starring Robin Williams.

*A mysterious, ancient, board game is found by young Alan Parrish close to an excavation. One evening when Alan is home alone in the huge mansion he's living in, he decides to start playing the game with his friend Sarah.

Alan was never seen again and Sarah was put on a psychiatric ward...

26 years later, two recently orphaned children Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce) move into the very same mansion, with their aunt Nora. Spooked about the rumors what happened to Alan Parrish, they are still curious and believe that Alan Parrish's corpse could lie anywhere in the house! But as they reach the attic, they find an old boarding game....and roll the two dices....and out of nowhere Alan Parrish now returns, as a grown up (played by Robin Williams). The children are being told and are agreed upon that "Jumanji" is a game of life and death, and there is no way out of it once you've rolled the dice; -to finish it!

I don't agree with many of the top critics who considers this movie too "horrible" for the little ones...Hey, I was little when I first saw this movie, (around 8 years old) and wasn't traumatized, though I of course found it very exciting (like the most part of the audience?)...

But naturally, you don't need to show it for toddlers who usually watch Winnie The Pooh!?

Robin Williams is perfect in this movie; extremely vivacious, bubbly and funny. Even the sad scenes he managed great (like when Alan Parrish finds out that his parents are dead).

But of course, this is not a movie that highlights the characters very much, but more of an adventure/comedy/science fiction-movie.

I'm not a special effects- nerd, but even today I can be fascinated by those in this movie.

I can't really speak of the children's book it is based of, cause I haven't read it, but the movie felt intended you slightly older kids then those who were reading the book. I don't find that strange at all. I was reading some adolescence fantasy books when I was younger that I was not allowed to see on the cinemas.

I love the concept with this movie. I love the scenes when the african wild animals are rampaging the town, and that crazy 19th century, safari hunter who is in some way "programmed" to shoot Alan Parrish, by any costs! :D.

To sum it up; this is a very entertaining movie! I was a kid when I first saw it, as many of my friends, and I found Jumanji more exhilarating then scary, and so did my friends (unless they all lied, of course ;).