Jumanji: The Next Level

Just like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, this is an equally haphazard and badly-written lazy movie, in which anything goes, even in totally bullshit ways, because you know very well where this movie is headed, it is so utterly predictable with a lack of any new ideas. The villain of the piece again "exists" only out of necessity, and does practically nothing, posing no real threat or danger to the main characters. The funniest part of this movie is the fact that Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart had the opportunity to impersonate and caricature the manners of Danny DeVito and Danny Glover, but is that really enough to fill out a two-hour movie? (15/04/2020)

Compared to the first film, the sequel is a step backward. Why? It seems to me that after the commercial success of the first installment, the creators didn’t put in as much effort with the sequel. There were a few fresh ideas to be had, no doubt, but it feels like the creators rode the wave of the first film's success, capitalized on everything that was positively received, tried to tweak it a bit (but I saw right through it), and shoved it into Jumanji: The Next Level (like, seriously, another dance scene with Ruby Roundhouse to the same song?). It’s a shame... On the plus side, I must definitely praise the decision to swap characters, with The Rock as DeVito and Kevin Hart as Glover. Many of the jokes landed well, and I enjoyed their mutual teasing; this was not a problem. Overall, the cast remains the biggest draw, and I’m increasingly falling in love with Karen Gillan as an actress. What didn’t please me, though, was the story. It lacked originality, and I expected a more thought-out spectacle. The CGI occasionally descended into a digital mess. The ending, with its post-credit scene, piqued my interest; I wasn’t initially keen on a third installment, but now I see potential in it. So, we’ll see how they handle it. I’m giving it 65%. (12/04/2020)

Jumanji: The Next Level builds on the elements that worked in the first, adding a duo of sclerotic old men with one foot in the grave and a host of new locations and characters from that world. Even though almost the entire film takes place in a game world where practically anything is possible, I found it all to be pretty predictable. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart's geriatric allusions and demeanor worked on the whole, and for the most part they managed to faithfully capture their generations-older counterparts. The film has a somewhat slower pace, there is a bit too much talking at times, and it perhaps plays on emotions a bit too blatantly at the end, but I still don't regret going to the cinema, as it is a briskly made sequel with plenty of action and more than one humorous scene. (08/12/2019)

The most tiresome and in all aspects most unnecessary sequel to an already mediocre first film in a long time. That the script doesn’t work is perhaps obvious to everyone in this mindless, plastic piece of entertainment. But that even the visuals, the pacing and the directorial ideas don’t work, either, that is unexpected. Major dud. The usually charismatic and muscular The Rock doesn't help either, nor does The Hound, who took on another wild role with gusto after GoT. (15/12/2019)

Compared to the previous installment, the story took an obvious turn for the worse. When I first saw Danny DeVito, I wasn't happy. But just like last time, the game, unlike the reality, saved me from some undesirable matters. In the end, the game characters that I found the funniest were Eddie and Milo’s avatars. There were quite a lot of funny scenes. Too bad that the screenwriters didn't put more effort into the story, which was considerably weaker. (31/05/2020)