The creators of the latest “Jumanji” sequel have begun from an age-old premise – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And they’ve taken note of other successful franchises to adopt what must surely be a new Hollywood motto – just add more.
So “Jumanji: The Next Level” brings together the same director, writers and actors who made the 2017 reboot so fun and then layers in more stars – Danny Glover, Danny DeVito and Awkwafina – plus more locations and special effects. The result is a largely successful, if more unbalanced ride. It’s also oddly wistful and melancholic.
The new film starts off like the first, with four mismatched young people gathering together. In the 2017 “Breakfast Club”-like setup, the four high schoolers – a jock, a self-conscious dweeb, a popular girl and a nerdy girl – are sent to detention, where they get sucked into a Nintendo-esque video game.
There, in a jungle setting, they transform into avatars played by Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan. Everyone’s identity is scrambled: The nerdy girl is hot and in teeny-weenie shorts, the hot girl is a pudgy middle aged man, the insecure guy is The Rock and the football player is now pint-sized – and they all have to go through the stages of learning to accept their new bodies, talents and shortcomings. Success in the game refreshes them in real life to be better version of themselves.
” Jumanji: The Next Level ” follows this same premise but re-scrambles it. Glover and DeVito, playing two estranged friends, also get pulled into the game, and everyone has a new avatar. Now The Rock employs both a honking Noo Yawk accent and an elderly man’s befuddlement at what’s happening since he’s controlled by DeVito. Meanwhile, Glover gets handed Hart. “Did I die and turn into some small, muscular Boy Scout?” he asks.