Twenty-two years after the release of the first Jumanji, a new installment of the famous adventures of the evil game makes its appearance on December 20 in cinemas. JustFocus was able to attend the world premiere of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle at the Grand Rex and gives you its review!
Jumanji: Welcome to the jungle, a spirit changed but not distorted
As a reminder, Jumanji is this very old demonic game that only delivers its players when the game is over (good or bad …). Released in 1995, Jumanji has marked generations of moviegoers and rocked the childhood of those of the 90 generation.Proposing a new opus did not seem easy at the time. We could even fear the worst… But, overall, the feature film directed by Jake Kasdan is doing well. If some will reproach the second part for yielding to the sirens of the action to all wind and the clichés of American films, the original spirit, although modified, seems to have been respected…
But what about history ? Time requires, it is via a video game that will plot the new adventures of Jumanji. Four high school students in restraint find themselves sucked into a game in a mysterious jungle. In the guise of their characters, they will have to survive and face many dangers in this more than hostile world. Otherwise, they will remain prisoners of Jumanji forever…
Played on screen by Dawne Johnson (aka The Rock), Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart, the cast is convincing. If it has nothing to do with the actors of the first opus (the late Robbin Williams, the very young Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Jonathan Hyde or Bonnie Hunt), it counteracts the received ideas that the names on the poster suggested. Thus, in this film, we will obviously find action and adrenaline, but around the pattern of the story are woven situations that surprise by their tone and humor. Themes such as stereotypes of girls / boys, physical appearance, social networks and smartphones ubiquitous among the younger generation are addressed in turn.
Jumanji 2: A comedy first and foremost
Humor is indeed present in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. So much so that it would not be lying to classify it in this genre in the first place.Here, the film is talkative and it is in the lines that the humor settles the most (special mention to the character played by Kevin Hart !). But be careful not to label it basic humor …
If this omnipresent comic counteracts somewhat with the original anxiety-provoking and mysterious aspect distilled by the first Jumanji, it is nevertheless through this comic that the second part stands out and becomes easily pleasant. Far from wanting to copy the 1995 feature film, the main mission of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is to entertain and make people laugh, and does not pretend to anything else. Add to that actions and a sustained pace, in which we enter quickly and you will have a good overview of the new Jumanji.
For the nostalgic inclined to discover a new part of Jumanji, go to the dark rooms on Wednesday, December 20. For those wishing to keep intact their memory of the inimitable 1995, go your way…
