'Jumanji: The Next Level' A Review

Jumanji: The Next Level is the latest installment in the Jumanji series a direct sequel to the 2017's soft reboot. Three years after their first adventure the four friends Spencer, Fridge, Martha, and Bethany return from college and plan to meet up. Spencer has had a difficult time adjusting to life at NYU and returns to the game alone, when the others discover this they go in after him but Spencer's grandpa Eddie(Danny DeVito) and his estranged friend Milo(Danny Glover) are also sucked in.

The core cast return as the game characters- The Rock, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Kevin Hart- and all have some fun with their performances as the people "playing" them are swapped. Although The Rock's "accent" is nothing short of atrocious and is easily the biggest distraction and sour note of the entire endeavor. But despite this the core remain fun, funny, and their able to maintain their excellent chemistry and interplay from the previous installment. The biggest addition is Awkwafina who effortlessly integrates into the dynamic and helps to keep it fresh.

The plot has to work a little harder to get the same characters back into the game and the machinations between them seem a bit saccharine. The real heart is the relationship between Eddie and Milo which the script can't seem to decide to play as the A story or the B story and as such the emotional focus is unfortunately split. The CGI, whether because of familiarity or time constraint, isn't as effective but is passable.

A fun piece of family entertainment that fails to reach the surprisingly delightful heights of it's predecessor.

Rent It.