IN CINEMAS | 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle'
'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' was released on Boxing Day and has been doing surprisingly well, according to Box Office sales.
There are so many positives that this film has to offer. It ties up some loose ends following on from the original, it's funny, ironic and pays homage to Robin Williams' character, Alan Parrish.
'Jumanji' follows four teens on detention - Spencer, Bethany, Fridge and Martha - each one conveniently representing a cliché high school stereotype. Spencer is the Nerdy Gamer, Bethany is the popular girl, Fridge is the Jock, and Martha is the introvert who doesn’t seem to fit in.
Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Karen Gillan make for a wonderful comedy team, playing the avatars the teens select in an old dusty video game that draws them into its adventurous (and dangerous) world. Ironically, the avatars are the exact opposite of the teens' characters in the real world, making for a gamut of laughs. Most notably, Bethany, assuming Professor Shelly Oberon is a hot female - becomes her character - a short, stout man in the form of Black. As if defeating the obstacles of this jungle weren’t hard enough, Bethany must survive in a body she knows nothing about! Seeing Bethany learn how to pee for the first time as a man is simply hilarious.
The group dynamic is made much more interesting when each of the teens are forced to play as a character they would never identify with in reality, perhaps giving 'Jumanji' an important underlying message; this is a core element to what makes this movie a success, showing ordinarily selfish teens literally walking in someone else’s shoes. Even better still, the film pays homage to Alan Parrish (protagonist in the first film, played by Williams). The filmmakers show viewers where Alan lived while he was stuck in the board for all those years - something fans of the nineties film never had a chance to see. Seeing where he lived finally gave us some answers, and allowed the audience to feel connected to Parrish once again. This film is a hit for children and families, even if you haven’t seen the first. However, fans of the original were left divided. 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' is a film that generates mixed emotions, leaving some viewers lamenting on the cons.
It hasn’t hit the mark for nostalgic adults wanting to relive a part of their childhood. Following on from Williams isn't an easy task, and many fans will argue that Williams made the original a lasting classic.
The first film took a serious tone. It was dark. It was emotional. It had its moments of humour, and Williams had a knack for balancing the comedy with the drama and adventure. When fans found out that the new cast would comprise of Johnson, Black, Hart and Gillan, it left some with an uneasy feeling. They can't compete with Williams' quick-wittedness, and their films are of a completely different genre of comedy. So, for many fans of 'Jumanji', the casting choice left us feeling frustrated from the very beginning.
When we first heard of 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle', nobody knew if it was going to be a reboot or a sequel. It is a sequel - that is now very clear.
With sequels, there is the issue of continuity, and in many instances, timelines are screwed up, plot holes are discovered, and mistakes are made. The biggest 'Jumanji' plot hole is centered around the ending of the film. In the original, the characters don't remember a thing, and everything goes back to normal by the end of the game. In contrast, 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' ensures all memories are kept intact.
Without consideration of such devices, and without Williams or other original cast members, it would surely have been safer to reboot for a new generation. There's no denying this film earned its success, but it still doesn't possess the right feel for the 'Jumanji' universe.
Now the question on everyone's lips is, what could 'Jumanji' do next? 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' is in theatres now!
