On December 20 of 2017, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was released into theaters nationwide and was seen as a popular movie for families to attend. Before Christmas day it gained about $64 million according to Sony Pictures. The question is is this movie really worth its hype and revenue made within its first week of release?  After watching this movie myself I can say that this movie is truly hysterical and an example of a decent reboot by the movie industry, which many know is hard to accomplish.

Families who go to see this movie do not know its true origin and rightfully so, since it was based off a movie from 1995. This early production of Jumanji is hinted at towards the beginning of this film when one characters is seen rejecting the game since it originated as a board game, such as it had been in the original movie. The 1995 version starring Robin Williams was a true classic that many seemed to enjoy due to its element of fun and somewhat thrill/horror involved since it was set up as the same premise.

The 2017 reboot of Jumanji was set years after the original movie with the same basic plot of the first movie, however the remake took more of a humorous take on the game itself. Throughout this movie there were several laugh out loud moments in which the entire theatre was roaring with noise. A stand out character through the movie that definitely contributes to the humour of the movie was Jack Black’s character Professor Shelly Oberon who never wasted a moment on screen since almost every other line of his dialogue left the crowd laughing. His mannerisms alone were enough to show he truly committed to his character with Gabby McCutchan (10) stating, “If I really had to choose a good part of the movie, I think Jack Black’s impersonation was hilarious”. Not to mention Dwayne Johnson who also got into his character in ways that made me believe he truly was his character.

The plot of the movie was truly thrilling throughout. At certain times during the middle it did drag, but overall it was fast pace and that worked for it. Its quick manner went well with the quick intensity of a videogame which helps draw the audience into its plot ever farther. Its lack of fear for using more mature language also made the characters feel more human which is a bold decision for a “kids” movie to make, but it completely worked in this case. Yet I can see why many families would be a little put off at times due to their children hearing such language. The villain of the movie was quite forgettable as well, but that does not take too much away from the movie since it is more about the plot and main characters at its core, which is similar to modern day movies. Yet the lack of a memorable villain is still worth mentioning.

Overall the movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was a refreshing new take on the old time classic with new twists and changes in plot throughout. Its humor and bold choices worked for it in beneficial ways. Besides a few pacing errors, it is a great film to see with the family if few words of mature language are not too off putting. I would recommend families to go out and see Jumanji if they want a fun weekend night at the movies.