“Jumanji: The Next Level”

“Jumanji: The Next Level” is the sequel to the 2017 movie “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” both directed by Jake Kasdan. I initially watched “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” not expecting anything other than a silly comedy. I was pretty much correct, but I was pleasantly surprised about the presence of an actual, followable plot that got my attention. “Jumanji: The Next Level” is pretty much the same, except this time with Danny DeVito, a horse and some body-switching hijinks.

The movie focuses on the same group of four kids as last time but is set about one year in the future when they have graduated from high school. They go back into the game to save Spencer, one of the kids, whose insecurities drive him there again to seek out the courage he had when he was last in the game. They are also joined by Spencer’s grandfather, played by Danny DeVito, and his ex-best friend Milo, played by Danny Glover. They run into some trouble when they do not get to choose their avatars, everyone finds themselves on their final life much earlier than expected and the quest they have to complete is completely different than before. 

Overall, “Jumanji: The Next Level” is a decent comedy. It is not particularly unique and the plot is pretty forgettable, but it is still enjoyable and funny. Though it is a little bit hard to care about the characters, they still have a cute story that complements the film well. Frankly, the film would not be worth it for me without Danny DeVito. From his painful mispronunciation of the game’s name to Awkwafina and the Rock’s impressions of him, he made the movie a lot more fun to watch. I cannot say I will watch it again, but it was worth watching at least once.