Hey Lovelies, 

Not many people had high hopes for the remake of Jumanji. Yet, when Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Jack Black took the reins they did it surprisingly well. It was only to be expected then that a sequel was to come, with Jumanji: The Next Level, now being released on DVD, Blu-Ray and digitally as of today.

After successfully completing the first round, graduate Spencer (Alex Wolff) decides to go back into the game to complete the next level. Getting his new friends to join him, the journey is made harder by the games accidental decision to pull in his grandad (Danny DeVito) and business partner Milo (Danny Glover) to join in. Each level becoming even harder to complete than before.

With the first feature being a hilarious affair, thanks to Black’s never-ending comedic genius and Johnson’s superhero figure leading the way, a sequel had to be done right. Luckily it was. After taking the characters to a new world and CGI atmosphere in the first film, the knowledge the actors now have of their characters is presented in a stronger manner than before. New characters allow them to flourish and grow. New stories bringing the story to a whole new level.

Hart and Black provide gags after gags, but now with the added edition of DeVito. His lack of gaming experience bounces off how the younger minded figures know what to do. Impressions and sarcasm riding high to give witty remarks and memories throughout. However, the film is also built on an emotional level too.

The new family dynamic means that when problems arrive, the film takes charge of them by making them an emotional plot filler. Friendships are tested. Grandson and grandad work to come closer. Life and death are witnessed throughout. All hard topics to combine but the feature still manages to do it without making the film drag on.

However, there are elements of the feature that cause issues. Technically it isn’t as strong as the first feature. CGI issues are witnessed and the creation of them is not done well. Not so much an action feature like the first, the mechanics of making a gaming world seem interesting is lost in small chunks. The feature becoming more of a comedic set piece than a mixture of drama, action and comedy like the first.

Yet, it doesn’t make it off-putting and as a whole, it is a great sequel. The characters' return is likable and reasonable. The way in which the story has changed is a wise move. Families will be able to enjoy this all together. It will just be up to them if they want to play a board or video game together afterward, which will be the hard option.