Jumanji: The Next Level definitely raised the bar in every single aspect. The stakes were higher, the character relationships ran deeper and the obstacles were difficult.
Jake Kasdan brought the same fun excitement from the first one and added a different level of humour. The old age jokes coming from Danny Glover’s, Milo Walker and Danny DeVito’s, Grandpa Eddie were stellar and even funnier when voiced by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. Hart and Johnson have such a wholesome friendship and it shined through their portrayal of Milo and Eddie.
What I loved about this sequel is that it stays true to the original and it continues to add onto the world they created. Sure, there are plot holes but it’s very entertaining. At times the old man jokes got repetitive but Hart and Johnson’s delivery made it bearable.
The star of this movie was, and always will be, Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse. She takes the leadership role from these lost souls and controls every scene she’s in. Her chemistry with the comedy legend Jack Black was great in the first half of this film! Black, Gillan, Hart and Johnson had better comedic timing in this sequel because of old man jokes.
This was such a fun film, I loved seeing them all together again and the additional characters, even Awkwafina all brought their A game. I can’t really spoil the body swaps but Awkwafina does a great job with her character!
Candid Cinema 