Movie review: ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’

FloridaGator80

OK, I’ll the cat out of the bag early: I really enjoyed “Jumanji: The Next Level.” Actually, I should put an exclamation point on that one. I really enjoyed “Jumanji: The Next Level!” It is the sequel-to-a-sequel and you’ll find that the franchise hasn’t lost much steam, if any. Of course, as with any franchise that starts off with a great film, you don’t expect absolute perfection each time … moviegoers usually just expect that the opposite is arriving on a fast-moving train. So, you’ll find “Jumanji: The Next Level” a wonderful extension of the series and there’s even a hint of what’s to come in what obviously will be another “Jumanji” movie. Unlike the “Jurassic Park” franchise that fell flat on its face with the latest release in 2018, “Jumanji: The Next Level” makes sure there will be another.

‘Jumanji: The Next Level’
(2019; 123 minutes; rated PG-13; directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Danny DeVito and Awkwafina)

CHARACTERS TAKE CHARACTERS TO ‘NEXT LEVEL’

I have nothing but great things to write about film director (and co-writer; and co-producer) Jake Kasdan. He extended “Jumanji” (click here for my review) with the sequel “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (click here for my review) and now has hit another homerun with the sequel-to-the-sequel called “Jumanji: The Next Level.” Kasdan simply knows his business and it will be interesting to see how he extends this franchise as well as what he does outside it.

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Of course, everyone remembers the original. Well, almost everyone. It starred the late, great Robin Williams, the always underappreciated Bonnie Hunt and a young Kirsten Dunst. It was fun, it was a bit of boisterous amusement and fantasy and you probably watched it several times. The sequel, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” with Kasdan at the helm, was simply terrific.

However, I always have trepidations about any sequel because of such stinkbombs as “CHIPS” (click here for my review). Even the great sequel of “Jurassic World” (click here for my review) didn’t guarantee that the sequel-to-a-sequel wouldn’t flop … and you’ll find that “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” is a piece of crap disguised as a motion picture – click here for my review – and it’s simply a disgrace that they’re following that mess up with “Jurassic World: Arcadia” that’s projected for 2021. Despite some decent sequels or “reboots” from the excellent “Zombieland: Double Tap” (click here for my review) to the “only OK” efforts with “The Dukes of Hazzard” (click here for my review) or “Baywatch” (click here for my review) that starred Dwayne Johnson, you need to be careful: Once burned by crap such as “CHIPS” and you’re scarred for life. Thank goodness “Jumanji: The Next Level” shows itself to be nearly equal to the first sequel, which was nearly equal to the original.

Let me get the plot out of the way for “Jumanji: The Next Level.” The original group has grown up over a year, but one of them, Alex Wolff as young “Spencer Gilpin,” has regressed and is a bit despondent despite the group getting back together. So, he hauls out the old video game that took them to “Jumanji” in the sequel and … next thing you know, he’s back inside and the group naturally follows him back to save him.

Whoops! And it’s a big WHOOPS! Not everything goes as planned!

Instead of the group being their original characters, they are different now and one is left behind, while two new people join the team. Further, while the game starts out in the same place, it is not the same adventure that they have to conquer.

The turn of events for the characters is the nicest twist in how Kasdan and his co-writers would bring freshness to the movie. Add in new characters such as Danny DeVito as one of the character’s grandfather “Eddie Gilpin,” Awkwafina as cat-burglar avatar “Ming Fleetfoot” for “Spencer” and one of DeVito’s character’s friends named “Milo,” and you’ve got yourself a fresh film! Oh, there’s one other new character, but I’ll let that be a surprise when you see the film.

Another neat twist is that the characters find they can change to another character. It all works out for the best and allows the actors a little room to maneuver in what you’d believe would be already-structured characters.

Naturally the gang fights and fends its way through new “levels” of the Jumanji game to a final showdown with “Jurgen the Brutal.” It all wraps up in an emotional denouement.

Now, I’ll take a look at some of the primary cast …

  • Dwayne Johnson just keeps building a watchable list of credits as he again plays the avatar “Dr. Smolder Bravestone.” Of course, he gets to expand a bit by being DeVito. “The Rock” is a busy actor today with seven projects announced, in pre-production or in post-production. He does a good job with being DeVito and, while not Olivier, is basically solid as an actor. One blot on his resume that I saw was “Pain & Gain” – a pure piece of garbage with Mark Wahlberg. I’m certainly going to see his next flick … Disney’s “Jungle Cruise.”
  • A two-time Golden Globe nominee (not for this one), Jack Black reprises his role as avatar “Dr. Sheldon ‘Shelly’ Oberon,” but instead of being a teenage girl, he’s initially playing the “Fridge.” Black is solid here, but he isn’t as spectacular as in the sequel where he bowled everyone over as a teenage girl. Still, he’s totally wonderful and does the best job of any actor in this one. I like Black best in the Farrelly brothers’ “Shallow Hal” (click here for my review) and he was nominated for “School of Rock” and “Bernie.”
  • Kevin Hart plays the avatar “Franklin ‘Mouse’ Finbar,” but he starts out as “Milo” instead of “Fridge” from the first sequel. He does get to be “Fridge” again near the end, but I like how he conveyed the “Milo” role. Hart does his usual solid job. Hart did the “Ride Along” franchise as well as the comedy “Night School” and co-starred with “The Rock” in “Central Intelligence.”
  • I continue to be impressed with Karen Gillan, who plays the avatar “Ruby Roundhouse” and is the only original avatar who gets the original character back. She again turns “Martha” into a kick-ass fighter and Gillan is an excellent actor. She’s been in the “Avengers” franchise and is a busy actor today with five projects in the works. When I see a film with this actor’s name, I’ll be checking it out. Gillan was also “Nebula” in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise.
  • An Oscar nominee (not yet for this one), DeVito plays “Eddie” to perfection as the crusty, somewhat profane grandfather. Obviously, DeVito immersed himself into the character and he makes sure you know you’re looking at a frustrated codger whenever he’s on screen. DeVito even wraps the film up nicely while talking with Bebe Neuwith (see about her later in the review). He was nominated for “best picture” as co-producer of the overrated “Erin Brockovich” and was a Golden Globe winner and five-time nominee. DeVito won and was nominated three times for TV’s “Taxi” and was nominated for the wonderfully dark comedy “Ruthless People” (click here for my review) and “Throw Momma from the Train.”
  • Awkwafina makes her entrance in an important scene in the middle of the film and stays near the front from then on. Her avatar “Ming” is first “Spencer” and then becomes DeVito near the end. Like her fellow castmates, Awkwafina does a solid job here and I’ll also be keeping a lookout for her coming films. I liked her work in “Crazy Rich Asians” and, unfortunately, she was also in the less-than-adequate “Ocean’s Eight.”

Now, a visit to some of the supporting cast …

  • A Golden Globe nominee (for music), Nick Jonas again plays the avatar “Jefferson ‘Seaplane’ McDonough.” It’s a smaller role than the one he played in the sequel, but, like in that one, he does a solid job. Jonas is watchable on screen and has an ongoing future in movies (as if I can predict such things). He shared the nomination for the title song “Home” for 2017’s “Ferdinand.” He was also in this year’s reprise of the World War II flick “Midway.”
  • A Golden Globe nominee, Colin Hanks reprises his role as the adult “Alex Vreeke” and his character becomes Jonas as “Seaplane.” He’s called back into action by “Bethany,” who has been left behind and now needs help to get inside the game. Hanks doesn’t bring much to the table in this one – unlike his endearing few moments on screen in the sequel. Hanks is, of course, the son of Tom Hanks and worked with Kasdan and Black on “Orange County.” He was nominated for TV’s version of “Fargo.”
  • You’ll remember Primetime Emmy nominee Marin Hinkle best as the shrew ex-wife “Judith” in “Two and a Half Men” and in this one she plays “Spencer’s” mother, “Janice Gilpin.” It’s a tiny role, but she does OK. Hinkle got her nomination for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and won a shared SAG award for it and she’s been on a variety of TV series as well as films in a career starting in 1994.
  • In a nice homage to the original, the wonderfully talented and two-time Primetime Emmy winning Bebe Neuwith has an uncredited role as “Nora,” the woman who bought DeVito’s diner years ago. It’s a recreation of “Nora Shepherd” from the original, in which she wanted to turn Williams’ house into a bed-and-breakfast. In her short time on screen, Neuwith does a work(wo)manlike job. Of course, she won her Emmys for “Cheers” and was nominated for “Frasier” and “Dash and Lily.”
  • Rory McCann plays baddest bad-guy “Jurgen the Brutal.” McCann gives a better performance than the villain did in the first sequel and it was nice to see a good performance from the bad guy. McCann has also been in “Hot Fuzz” with Simon Pegg; was in “Alexander;” and 38 episodes in “Game of Thrones” as “Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane.”

Just like in the original, the “real” characters are played by Wolff as “Spencer;” Morgan Turner as “Martha Kaply;” Ser’Darius Blain as “Anthony ‘Fridge’ Johnson;” and Madison Isen as “Bethany Walker.” All do a commendable job, but I’m not going to take the time to single each out in this review. I like all of their work and will be looking for them as their careers progress. “Bethany” stays outside the game until later and it’s a neat transition to a new character for her.

Again, and just like the first sequel, the film has a rollicking time with each of the avatars being one of the real-life people. It was a truly inspired concept in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and extends nicely here. Another good thing is that the baddest of the bad guys, you know, Jurgen, is better than the bad guy in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.”

In any case, there’s only one major flaw with “Jumanji: The Next Level” (I’ll get to that in a few paragraphs) that not many will notice. However, overall this one grades out as excellent. Your money will be well spent on it.

** SPOILER ALERT **

In the end, the good guys and girls save Jumanji again and everything turns out peachy – especially for one character, who it turns out is doomed in real life, but who can live on by staying and playing in the video universe.

** END SPOILER ALERT **

So, good job, Mr. Kasdan. You worked around the potential pitfalls of a sequel-to-a-sequel in an admirable fashion. I’ll take a moment to repeat what wrote about Kasdan in my review of “Back to the Jungle:” Kasdan’s father is four-time Oscar nominee Lawrence Kasdan, who directed great films such as “The Big Chill” and the outstanding western “Silverado” (click here for my review). More impressive is that Lawrence co-wrote the two of the first three “Star Wars” screenplays as well as the iconic and classic “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and co-wrote the recent “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as well as the upcoming “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” His mom is Meg Kasdan, who shared a writing Oscar nomination with Lawrence for “Grand Canyon” (he directed). Damn, Jake has good bloodlines!

The only discordant note in the whole film was that the filmmakers chose to have Danny Glover in it. With his strident politics long a huge negative for this actor, I’m not writing anything other than he played the “old” character of “Milo.” Sorry, Jake, but you shouldn’t have dredged up such a piece of dreck for this film – or any other.

“Jumanji: The Next Level” was the 100th ranked film of 2019 at the U.S. box office at the posting of this blog. Since I’m reviewing it only a couple of days after its nationwide premiere, we won’t know a final ranking for a little while. The No. 1 film of 2019 as of today’s posting is “Avengers: Endgame” with $858.3 million and at No. 2, “The Lion King” remake comes in with $543.6 million. UPDATE: “Jumanji: The Next Level” wound up 11th at theaters for 2019 with $192 million in ticket sales.

CONFLICT OF FACT: “Jumanji: The Next Level” was released in the U.S. in December 2019 and was initially reported with 2019’s films for ticket sales totals. However, in the years since, it has now become listed among all major sites reporting movie rankings by year as being in 2020 with $124.7 million in ticket sales. Well, Hollywood has never been able to count whether it be finances or even when a movie was released.

The other films from 2019 that I’ve reviewed are:

Assorted cast and film notes (via IMDb.com):

  • John Ross Bowie has a small part as “Cavendish” and he’s “Jurgen’s” castle … hmmm, well, spokesman. He does a nice job in a small turn and he’s best remembered as “Barry Kripke” for 25 episodes of “The Big Bang Theory.” I liked him better as a bad guy in an episode of TV’s “Las Vegas” with James Caan and he was also on another of my favorites: “Monk.”
  • Awkwafina’s given name is Nora Lum and she’s 5-foot-1.
  • Directly from IMDb.com: “(This film) saw one of the fastest turnarounds from filming to theatrical release for a major studio tentpole film. Filming did not begin until February 2019 and wrapped four months later in May, for a December release only seven months later. Most complete filming over a year before their release.”
  • One location for filming was at Glamis Dunes in California in February 2019.
  • Click here for IMDb.com’s limited trivia page (which will expand since the movie has now opened) …

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