Jumanji: The Next Level

Because 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle was (gasp) an actually good remake a sequel was absolutely inevitable. We live in an age where you can definitely have too much of a good thing. Impressively retaining, and actually improving, the original cast Jumanji: The Next Level escapes with a fair amount of credit. It’s in fairly uncharted waters as a good sequel to a good remake. These films work by knowing exactly what they are and having a darn good time doing it. The video game conceit enables returning Director Jake Kasdan to again give us jokes on adventure movie cliche and indulge in lots more body-swap antics. This time, after a fairly wishy-washy excuse to get the characters into the game (sadly the ‘real world’ stuff, despite the cast’s best efforts, still suffers) Spencer’s grandfather (a brilliantly cranky Danny DeVito) and his estranged former business partner (an equally brilliant Danny Glover) get taken along for the ride. Cue old-men-in-young-bodies jokes which gifts Kevin Hart this installment's MVP gong with his hilarious portrayal of the aforementioned Glover’s Milo. Sure, what ensues is full of exposition (often smartly pointed out) and the usual MacGuffins to drag us through the ‘levels’ but that’s exactly the point. The set pieces don’t quite live up to the first film but it’s a rollicking good time while it lasts. Again, they underuse the villain. Pulling in Rory McCann from Game of Thrones was an inspired move but his 'Jurgen the Brutal' needed more screen time. However, when Awkwafina playing Danny Devito hugging a flying horse can move you, you’ve gotta give a film some credit and The Next Level goes down as a funny and thoroughly entertaining successor to the first. 3 stars ***