Review of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) by Mark F — 26 Jan 2018

I always go back and forth on remakes or "re-imaginings" (whatever that means) of classic movies-and unfortunately for most of you reading this column, that word "classic" in Hollywood refers to any movie made before the year 2000-but sometimes a cool concept can be freshened up without losing its appeal. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle strikes a good balance between staying true to the original children's book by Chris Van Allsburg (who also wrote The Polar Express, for those of you keeping score) and the new gadget-obsessed youth of the 21st century.

Instead of a cool wooden board game with pieces and a nifty crystal ball that tells you about what's about to crash into your living room, this particular iteration is a console video game, which would ordinarily thrill any of us who owned an original Nintendo or Sega Genesis, but turns out to be a momentary distraction for four unlikely teens in a set-up that is borrowed straight out of The Breakfast Club. Only instead of some nostalgic, time-wasting gaming, they get sucked into the world of Jumanji where they are tasked with a mission before their lives are all used up.

Whoever thought to team up Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson should get a raise, as they are really funny and fun together. Karen Gillian (Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy) plays the super-hot and super dangerous Lara Croft-style jungle babe with appropriate disdain. But best of all, it's so nice seeing Jack Black be funny again. His selfie-obsessed mean girl winds up in the body of, well, Jack Black, and he makes the most of the material.

The special effects are pretty special, as are the stunts and the action; Jumanji is no place for a quiet stroll. And while the plot is nothing complicated, the character interaction and the great performances from the cast make this film a must-see in the theater, where you can appreciate the magical world of Jumanji with other people. Older kids and Generation X Parents in particular will appreciate the mashups in the movie.