Review of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) by Barry W — 21 Mar 2018

Not a big fan of this film. Here's why:

1) Making 'Jumanji' an Atari game was STUPID. Really? The jungle drums wouldn't have enticed 1996 Kid to play the game? It was an 'update' that didn't need to happen and it took away some of the magic of the original film. TOTALLY unnecessary and dopey change that will date the film. Kind of like in "Hook" when the lost boys start doing the "Arsenio Hall" whoop whoop whoop chant.

2) The original Jumanji was about the real dangers of the jungle of the past (animals, floods, hunters, etc.). This one tried to make things up to date by having humans with motorcycles being the villains. Again, nothing like the original story. I do realize that the film doesn't need to tell the same story again, but the original film had a lot of charm that had to do with it not being set in modern times.

3) Language- First, I really don't care if swearing is in a movie. HOWEVER- this movie was clearly aimed at kids. The dopiness of the situation, the game aspect, etc. Why have all the language in there?

4) Actors- Kevin Hart can be funny. Jack Black can be funny. But here, the lines were so dumb and it was like the writers said "Okay, let's roll out the typical Hart/Black schtick - even though real characters wouldn't say this stuff".

Overall, I felt this was put together without a lot of respect for the original and it just comes off as a money grab rather than "a good story that needed to be told". I thought Johnson and Gillan were fine in it, for what it was. They did a good job with what they had. Making Jack Black's character a female was dopey and unfunny and felt completely forced. Same with Hart's character. He's always gonna be Kevin Hart.

Oh, and I was disappointed that with Rhys Darby in a film, there was no band meeting (Flight of the Conchords reference). ;).