"Jumanji" series goes bigger, but not much better, with "The Next Level"

With the unexpected smash hit “Welcome to the Jungle” breaking the box office at Christmas in 2017, another addition in the “Jumanji”  series was inevitable. While the new film is almost as fun, hilarious, and unique as its predecessor, “The Next Level” is an enjoyable watch that adds something new to the series by expanding the universe, but sadly suffers from many common errors that most sequels face.

Re-entering the newly-fixed yet broken game to save their distraught friend Spencer, the original crew is divided throughout a majority of the film, and the teenagers must now become accustomed to their accidentally switched avatars. While coming to terms with their new bodies and abilities, Martha and Fridge must also teach two elderly friends of theirs–Spencer’s grandpa Eddie and his estranged friend Milo (who have been accidentally sucked in by the game’s malfunctions)–to beat the game and make it out alive. Meanwhile, Bethany must gain the assistance of a previous Jumanji player to join her friends and assist in the mission. 

If that sounds like a heavy plot, it certainly is. The original team had a good and concise division of screen-time and presence during the previous film, but with the inclusion of two new avatars and additional storylines, certain moments of action and heroics can feel overstuffed and too spread out. While the film does have its more fun moments in the first act, the second act does drag slightly. The film’s final action set piece and story does make up for the middle section, however, and the avatar-switching aspect of the story was very fun and original. 

Impressions were a highlight of the film’s comedic aspects, especially with Kevin Hart impersonating veteran actor Danny Glover as Milo. Hart personifies the smooth, laid-back voice and mannerism of Glover expertly, and is by far the stand-out performance of this film. Jack Black once again is one of the funnier presences on screen, and his dual role as both Fridge and Bethany makes for many laugh-out-loud moments, especially with his use of unique voice-acting and body gestures. New members Awkwafina and Danny DeVito are hilarious and welcome additions to the cast, and the former’s impersonation of DeVito later in the film is a great use of her comedic abilities and improvisation. In a rare misfire, however, superstar Dwayne Johnson does not stick the landing with his impersonation of DeVito for a majority of the film, and is quickly overshadowed by the comedic excellence of Hart and Awkwafina. Maybe with a funnier script and more versatile jokes, Johnson could have done more with the character, but the running-gag of an elderly man not knowing what is going on got as old as DeVito himself very quickly. Nick Jonas also feels out of place in a slightly overstuffed cast, and his presence feels unnecessary in moments, with his character only there to help motivate the team and move the action along.

While certain moments do falter, the film still has many fun action sequences, a solid musical score from composer Henry Jackman, and a good use of the actors’ comedic abilities for small and subtle moments of comedy, or breaks in tension during battle or chase scenes. Also, the production design is another aspect of the first film that was successfully replicated for “Next Level”, and many shots and scenes are breathtaking and make for quite the spectacle. Even if you do not enjoy everything about this movie, the action and set pieces make this a film that is good and fun to look at.

Conclusion: Despite its flaws with characters and pacing, “Jumanji: The Next Level” is a fun and easygoing time at the movies, and is a great comedy for the Winter season. I did find myself laughing out loud many times during this movie, so it can provide an enjoyable viewing experience for those who wish to turn their brain off and enjoy a sequel that is almost as good as the first.

Rating: 7/10

(A very special thank you to my best friend Jack Durante for seeing this movie with me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend to see these fun movies with)