Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle (2017) Dir: Jake Kasdan
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This 2017 reboot of the iconic world of Jumanji could very easily have been a giant flop and another pointless and incredibly poor remake.
Instead, director Jake Kasdan gives us a fun, entertaining and funny comedy adventure that builds a fresh new world for the franchise to exist within, without forgetting its much loved source material.
The narrative was enjoyable without being overly deep or complicated. It knew what it was and what it should try to be, and executed that with vigor.
Dwayne Johnson headlined a star studded cast. He gives near enough the same performance as every other film he is in these days, with a few tweaks here and there. It's still an enjoyable and funny performance though.
Joining The Rock, his partner in crime these days; Kevin Hart. He gives an at times hilarious performance, his flair for being over dramatic works so perfectly for his character.
Karen Gillan, who came to prominence in Doctor Who, shows the comedic side of her acting, and manages to keep her head above the water with some of Hollywood's big comedy hitters. I really enjoyed her here.
Jack Black is another Hollywood darling who is known for his comedic work, and this film perfectly encapsulates why he is so popular. His sassy wit and personality is dialed up to 11 in the best way, which works so well here. He was easily my favourite character.
Nick Jonas also appears in a slightly smaller role, and has his moments, although it must be said he doesn't quite shine as bright as the others here.
Alex Wolff gives a good performance, despite not appearing much, as do his counterparts in Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner and Ser'Darius Blain.
Bobby Cannavale plays a little bit of a forgettable antagonist, but in fairness he's not really the focus here.
Finally, the eternally entertaining Rhys Darby provides a typically funny performance in a relatively minor role.
Overall, this was one of the more refreshing and genuinely enjoyable reboots I've seen. No, it wasn't exactly necessary, but all things considered, I'm glad it was made. It made me laugh a lot and functions as a story, that's the important thing.
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