Jumanji: The Next Level is the sequel to the successful reboot of a movie based on a children's book about a board game. Yes, very confusing but all you really need to know is what happens in the remake from 2017, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle: some teenagers get sucked into a videogame and are forced to play it if they want to return to their actual world. The sequel (or threequel depending on how you look at it) sees the teenagers go back into the videogame and must face new challenges. 

I have already said in a previous review that the sequel to a movie is hardly ever as good as its original. Jumanji: The Next Level may be one of the select few to break this rule. The movie wasn't only as funny as the first but also had an entirely new concept. There was nothing which felt repeated except for a few references made to the first film which only added to the humour of the sequel. Speaking of sequels, Jumanji: The Next Level left the door wide open for a possible third movie (or again, fourth movie if you count the original).

Although the first Jumanji had some nice messages, Jumanji: The Next Level had some deeper meanings which was a pleasant surprise in a movie which was often making fun of itself. The first movie sees the teenagers become someone else which makes them become closer to each other and feel like they have a purpose. Some people may see this as offensive thinking that the movie is saying that you can't be yourself to be popular. Jumanji: The Next Level fixes this by having the main characters find ways of being themselves and feeling good about it at the same time.

Something that was quite amazing about the first Jumanji movie was the acting. In the movie, the teenagers entered the body of a videogame character. The actors had to play a character which had already been created by a different actor. In Jumanji: The Next Level, different characters were constantly entering the videogame characters' bodies. This meant that the actors had to play multiple different characters with very different personalities. I thought that the actors pulled this off extremely well especially when Dwayne Johnson had to play an old man.

The first Jumanji movie was extremely funny. It was a very modern humour perfect for teens. The second movie was equally as funny, with two new characters played by Danny DeVito and Danny Glover bringing most of the new laughs. In fact as I was watching the movie, I made a note saying "the old guys are great" probably whilst hardly containing myself.

I think most people could find themselves enjoying Jumanji: The Next Level but it is essential that you watch Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle first. Older teenagers or young adults will probably like this the most as the humour is directed towards them and they will be able to relate to the characters.

Jumanji: The Next Level is a hilarious sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It has some incredible acting, fantastic new characters, as well as a plot which differs from the first. Perfect for young adults to watch before a hinted threequel comes out.

Director: Jake Kasdan

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan

Year released: 2019

My rating: 7.5/10

Review by Tristan Carr

Last edited: 30/05/2021