Jeri
Jacquin
Coming
to Bluray, DVD and Digital from writer/director Jake Kasdan and Sony Pictures Home
Entertainment is the return for another adventure with JUMANJI: The Next Level.
It's
the holidays and the gang make plans to return to Nora's Diner for a bit of
catching up. Bethany (Madison Iseman), Martha (Morgan Turner), Fridge
(Ser'Darius Blain) and Spencer (Alex Wolff). Actually, Spencer is finding any
way to avoid getting together at home with Mom (Marin Hinkle) and Grandpa Eddie
(Danny DeVito) who is recovering from hip surgery.
The
reason for seclusion is that Spencer and Martha have taken a break from their
relationship and he's having a hard time. So much so that he goes into the
basement and finds a certain video game and does the unthinkable. Grandpa Eddie
is dealing with his own grumpiness when friend Milo (Danny Glover) comes to visit
but Eddie isn't exactly having it.
When
the gang can't reach Spencer, they head over to his house and meet Eddie and
Milo and then hear a sound that stops them in their tracks. Running down to the
basement, they realize that Spencer has jumped back into the game. The only
thing to do is to go in after him, except this time there are a few changes
they don't see coming.
In
the game the basic rules are the same but the game has changed! It is more
challenging and the players are a tad different. Martha (Karen Gillan) keeps
her character but Eddie (Dwayne Johnson) has a much bigger stature, Bethany
(Jack Black) is back and Milo is Mouse Finbar (Kevin Hart). Confused yet? Well
it gets better!
They
begin searching for Spencer who is now Ming (Awkwafina) who is looking for a
stone that will save the world but is being stopped by Jurgen the Brutal (Rory
McCann). Getting it requires the help of Alex (Nick Jonas) who is happy to see
everyone.
Now
that all the players on in place, it's time to put Jurgen in his place and
return the beloved and precious stone before dinner time!
Johnson
as Eddie gets a chance to be even more comedic than before. It is even more
hilarious when you realize he is doing his best Danny DeVito Eddie. His
flexing, jumping and stare into the abyss is full on fun and we'd pretty much
expect nothing less from him. DeVito as the grumpy Eddie isn't really into life
and can't seem to find a moment to be happy about. Becoming the player Eddie is
the most fun he's had in, well, forever.
Wolff
as Spencer is having an early 20's crisis and the only thing he can think to do
is go somewhere where he felt special. This is a young man who didn't think
things through to well and when he shows up in the game as Ming, it’s a new
character with new abilities. Awkwafina as Ming is hilarious as always and
since her introduction to people in the film CRAZY RICH ASIANS, she has made a
name for herself doing comedy but also can pull off true emotions when needed.
Hart
as Milo doesn't understand what is happening except that he seems much more
knowledgeable about language and animals. Hart doing Glover is probably the
best I've seen and it just kept cracking me up. Glover as Milo wants to fix the
friendship he has with Eddie and it's not as if the grumpy guy is going to make
it easy.
Black
as Fridge isn't happy about his less than perfect body and doesn't understand
why he can't be the same character he was before. Black jumps into his role and
I can see him playing any of them with ease. There is a scene with Martha that
is pretty funny in the pool of change. Blain as Fridge is happy to see his
friends but not so much when they have no choice but to return to the game to
find Spencer.
Gillan
as Martha is back in her shorts and a tank top making sure that she gets a
chance to jump off things and flip around tree branches with ease. The comedy
for her comes when trying to explain to Eddie and Milo that they are in a game
and what the rules are. Iseman as Bethany is the monkey in the works and she
has to turn to Alex (Colin Hanks) for help in a very brave way. Hanks as Alex
has a small role but I'm always happy to see him.
Shout
out to McCann as Jurgen the Brutal and I don't want to say that it’s a bit of
type casting but let’s through it out there and see if it sticks. As the Hound
in Game of Thrones he was loud, had no problem swinging a sword and was a tad
frightening, hmmmm…sounds like Jurgen the Brutal. Who cares! It's good to see
him.
Other
cast include Ashley Scott as Ashley, Rhys Darby as Nigel, Deobia Oparei as
Gromm, Sarah Bennani as Andi Tow, Massi Furlan as Switchblade, Jared Hasmuk as
Dagfin and Sal Longobardo as Tony.
Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment encompasses motion picture production for
television, digital content and theater releases. The studios include Columbia
Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films
and Sony Picture Classics. To see what is coming to theaters and to home
entertainment please visit www.sonypictures.com.
MOVIES
ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With
that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device
using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.
The
Bluray and Digital Bonus for JUMANJI: The Next Level include Gag Reel, Rhys
Darby Wants to Jingle – How do you top Jack Black and Nick Jonas’s
unforgettable theme song for the first one? Everyone’s favorite Non Player
Character, Rhys Darby is ready to take it to the next, next level and Body
Swapping: Snapping Into Character – In the latest Jumanji adventure, the
avatar roles are turned on their heads with new characters and hilarious
performances.
Also
included Back Together: Reuniting the Cast – Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart,
Karen Gillan and Jack Black are back and better than ever as they share their
excitement to reunite, Level Up, Scene Breakdown: Ostrich Chase, Scene
Breakdown: Mandrill Bridges, Awkwafina Cat Burglar, NPC Confessions: Jurgen the
Brutal, Grow Up, Telenovela, VFX Pre-Vis: Zepplin Battle, VFX Pre-Vis: Ostrich
Chase and AR Game.
JUMANJI:
The Next Level is family fun and especially for those who love the idea of
these actors in a video game. There is fun, humor, adventure and it's all
wrapped up in the story of family, friendship, loyalty, acceptance and fighting
off bad guys with your best friends. Of course, I am a fan of the Robin
Williams version of JUMANJI and will always see that as the standard but at the
same time it is easy to see why this generation is having such fun with he
franchise.
This
version of the film has more characters than the 1995 JUMANJI and the comedy is
sillier with Johnson and Hart at the helm. These two clearly share the same
humor and their off-screen friendship and Twitter 'war' adds to the charm of
their film.
If
you want to take a break from the crazy outside and be taken away on a fun
adventure, then JUMANJI: The Next Level is the right film to see with the whole
family. Make sure there is popcorn for all!
In
the end - it's the very next level!
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