Thursday, March 8, 2018

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Review












Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle


Release Date: 26th December 2017 - Australia


Production Companies
Columbia Pictures (presents)
Matt Tolmach Productions
Radar Pictures
Seven Bucks Productions

Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia


Genre: Adventure/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 111 minutes


Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $962,542,945 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
When four high-school teens discover an old video game console they've never heard of, they are transported into the game's jungle setting and become the adult avatar bodies they chose. With their newfound skills, they'll need to put them to good use as they embark on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, and the only way to get back home is to finish the game or otherwise be stuck in it forever.

They soon discover that you are not just playing JumanjiJumanji plays you.


Cast
Dwayne Johnson - Spencer
Kevin Hart - Fridge
Jack Black - Bethany
Karen Gillan - Martha
Nick Jonas - Alex
Alex Wolff - Young Spencer
Bobby Canavale - Van Pelt
Ser'Darius Blain - Young
Fridge
Madison Iseman - Young
Bethany
Morgan Turner - Young
Martha
Rhys Darby - Nigel
William Tokarsky - Bread
Vendor
Rohan Chand - Boy at
Bazaar
Colin Hanks - Adult Alex
(Uncredited)
Marc Evan Jackson - Principal Bentley
Sean Buxton - Alex's Father/
Jogger
Tim Matheson - Older Alex's
Father/Old Man Vreeke
(Uncredited)
Missi Pyle - Coach Webb
Michael Shacket - Fussfeld
Maribeth Monroe - Teacher
Marin Hinkle - Spencer's Mom
Tracey Bonner - Fridge's Mom
Natasha Charles Parker -
Bethany's Mom
Mason Guccione - Gamer
Jamie Renell - Male Gym Teacher
Marc Evan Jackson - Principal Bentley
Kat Atman - Lucinda
Carlease Burke - Miss Mathers

Crew
Executive Producer/Director - Jake Kasdan
Based on the Book "Jumanji"/
Film "Jumanji" Screen Story - Chris Van Allsburg
Based on the Film "Jumanji" Screen Story/
Screenplay - Greg Taylor and Jim Strain
Based on the Film "Jumanji" Screenplay -
Jonathan Hensleigh
Screen Story/Screenplay - Chris McKenna
Screenplay - Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg
and Jeff Pinkner
Executive Producers - Ted Field, Dany Garcia,
Dwayne Johnson and Mike Weber
Executiver Producer/Unit Production Manager -
David B. Householter
Producers - William Teitler and Matt Tolmach
Co-Producers - Hiram Garcia and Melvin Mar
Production Designer - Owen Paterson
Art Director - Steve Cooper
Art Director/Assistant Art Director: Hawaii -
Hugo Santiago
Set Decorators - Ronald R. Reiss
and Ken Chocolate (Uncredited)
Property Master - Josh Roth
Costume Designer - Laura Dean Shannon
Assistant Costume Designer - Carrie Grace
Director of Photography - Gyula Pados
Helicopter Technical Advisor - Doug Scroggins III
(Uncredited)
Location Manager - Laura Sode-Matteson
Unit Production Manager - Basil Grillo
Second Unit Director - Jack Gill
Stunt Coordinators - Gary Hymes
and Oakley Lehman
Motorcycle Coordinator - Justin Kell (Uncredited)
Dance Fight Coordinator - Nito Larioza
Special Effects Supervisor - J.D. Schwalm
Special Effects Coordinators - Eric Cook and
Eric Frazier
Visual Effects Supervisor - Jerome Chen
Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Robert Winter
Editors - Steve Edwards and Mark Helfrich
Re-Recording Mixer/Sound Designer/
Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater
Supervising Sound Editor - Joel Shryack
Sound Designer - Jon Title
Foley Artists - Gary A. Hecker and
Michael Broomberg
Production Mixer - John Pritchett
Re-Recording Mixer - Kevin O'Connell
Music - Henry Jackman
Music Supervisors - Manish Raval
and Tom Rolfe
Score Recordist and Mixer - Alan Meyerson


Review
Most people would have seen the original 1995 film adaptation of Jumanji as children and may be understandably biased towards the latest release in the Jumanji story. Having a movie that is a supposed reboot could be distasteful for those who have read the book and grown up with the previous cinematic version. It would be especially so when this reboot has revolved around a video game instead of a board game. What is more, for some Jumanji fans, the leading actor, Dwayne Johnson, might not save the film and live up to the standards of the late Robin Williams. However, I was surprised that this was an actual continuation, not a senseless remake derived from pure egotism. WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE is a cleverly updated version that adds a video game/body switch premise. Its lighthearted tone proves to audiences that this sequel is entertaining to even the most nostalgic viewers.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE's comedy is over-the-top but gets outrageously funny at an accelerated pace. The film delivers innuendos not suited for children under the age of six. The cast was terrific, with the four main actors, Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillian, having fun with their performances as teenagers trapped in their avatar bodies. Black portrays a teenage girl in her male avatar, which adds to the outrageous humour. It would not be the only time Johnson had visited the genre when he did Journey 2 years back. His macho persona hasn't prevented Johnson from handling the role better than his ill-fated on-screen part in Baywatch. Karen Gillian looks much brighter compared to her early years in Doctor Who. She is very remarkable in her role. One of the younger Jonas Brothers gets a role as a pilot but is doing it okay, and I liked Kevin Hart as the other source of funny comic relief.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE honours the dying wishes of Williams and is a literal game-changer. It eventually continues the lost spirit of the classic 1995 movie buried in a pile beneath the family category. I recommend this movie to audiences like you - or wait until it comes out on DVD, Blu-ray, and online streaming.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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