{"id":5210,"date":"2019-12-12T15:55:05","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T22:55:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=5210"},"modified":"2019-12-14T13:20:48","modified_gmt":"2019-12-14T20:20:48","slug":"jumanji-the-next-level","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2019\/jumanji-the-next-level\/","title":{"rendered":"Jumanji: The Next Level * Entertaining, Hilarious. Perhaps Surpasses the Original"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Jumani.tnl_.poster.jpg?resize=152%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5222\" width=\"152\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Jumani.tnl_.poster.jpg?resize=202%2C300&amp;ssl=1 202w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Jumani.tnl_.poster.jpg?w=674&amp;ssl=1 674w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 152px) 100vw, 152px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When Spencer goes back into the\nfantastical world of Jumanji, pals Martha, Fridge and Bethany re-enter the game\nto bring him home. But the game is now broken &#8212; and fighting back. Everything\nthe friends know about Jumanji is about to change, as they soon discover\nthere&#8217;s more obstacles and more danger to overcome. KIDS\nFIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments, \u201cThis film is pretty\nentertaining and hilarious, and a surprisingly impressive sequel. It\u2019s a good\nexample of \u201cstupid fun,\u201d and I mean that in a good way. And it is surprisingly\nemotional too.\u201d Arjun N. adds, \u201c<em>Jumanji: The Next Level <\/em>keeps things\nplayable, perhaps surpassing the first. The ensemble cast and direction add\nnewfound levels of entertainment. Anyone interested in the <em>Jumanji <\/em>franchise\nmust catch this on the biggest screen possible.\u201d Abraham F., wraps it up with, \u201c<em>Jumanji: The Next Level<\/em> is one of the most entertaining\nfilms I\u2019ve seen in a while and is an excellent sequel. The movie is funny when\nit knows to be and serious when called for as well. I do have a concern for\nthis series though, because the entire premise is the same as the original and\nit could wear out in the near future. Also, some of the tonal switches are\nreally sudden and it throws you off on how to feel in those scenes.\u201d See\ntheir full reviews below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jumanji: The Next Level<br>By Calista B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 16 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DSNhC072ve0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>This film is\npretty entertaining and hilarious, and a surprisingly impressive sequel. It\u2019s a\ngood example of \u201cstupid fun,\u201d and I mean that in a good way. And it is\nsurprisingly emotional too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-17062_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=150%2C225&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5211\" width=\"150\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-17062_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-17062_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=667&amp;ssl=1 667w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption>Karen Gillan star in Jumanji: The Next Level<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This film takes\nplace in an unknown time, sometime after the 2017 Jumanji. Spencer has gone\nback into the game and the other three players need to go back to rescue him. However,\ndue to the console being broken, Spencer\u2019s grandpa, Eddie and his friend Milo\nenter the game along with Martha and Fridge, instead of Bethany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, an issue\nwith sequels is the possibility of new viewers being confused and alienated,\ndue to not having seen the first one. However, because Martha and Fridge have\nto explain the rules of the game to Eddie and Milo,\nthe movie explains the rules to the audience, without it seeming forced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of\nEddie and Milo, they\u2019re a pretty fun inclusion\nto this film. As a formula changer they work really well and they easily steal\nthe show. They both have a nice chemistry and, having Dwayne Johnson and Kevin\nHart (of all people) acting like elderly men, makes it even funnier. Honestly,\nthe cast is perfect. Of course, all the returning actors are great, especially\nDwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, since they\u2019re now playing new characters. I was\npleasantly surprised to learn that Awkwafina is in this film. She\u2019s recently\nbecome one of my favorite actresses, so I was really happy when she showed up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-37864_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5219\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-37864_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-37864_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-37864_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption>Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart star in Jumanji: The Next Level<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Since this film\nis a comedy, you\u2019re probably wondering how good the comedy is. Overall, this\nfilm is pretty hilarious. In the beginning, most of the comedy comes from Eddie\nand Milo being confused about the game. While\nthis is pretty funny, it does become somewhat repetitive. Thankfully, the film\nhas a lot of really nice details, such as Eddie admiring his tattoos in the\ngame and Fridge freaking out over cake, due to events from the first movie.\nPlus, the action scenes are really energetic and fun. They are the perfect\ndefinition of \u201cstupid fun.\u201d They\u2019re absolutely ridiculous, but you\u2019re still\nhaving a blast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give this\nfilm 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18. If you liked the\nfirst film I bet you\u2019ll like this. The film opens in theaters nationwide\nDecember 13, 2019. Look for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jumanji: The Next Level<br>By Arjun N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vWUbkRzDnv0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jumanji: The Next Level <\/em>keeps things playable, perhaps surpassing the first. The ensemble cast and direction add newfound levels of entertainment.<a> <\/a>Anyone interested in the <em>Jumanji <\/em>franchise must catch this on the biggest screen possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-39153_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5221\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-39153_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-39153_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-39153_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption>Dwayne Johnson, &#8220;the Rock&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The game\nhas changed as the gang returns to Jumanji to rescue one of their own. The\nplayers will have to explore parts unknown, from the salty deserts to the snowy\nmountains, in order to win the world&#8217;s most dangerous game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of the returning original cast is\ngreat, and there is a longer setup that allows for further characterization.\nAlex Wolff and Morgan Turner, as Spencer and Martha, continue their budding\nromance as Spencer struggles to manage long-distance dating. Madison Iseman and\nSer\u2019Darius Blain, as Bethany and Fridge, show\ntheir maturity and growth since the first, especially Bethany who is more\ninclusive and less cliquey. Danny DeVito and Danny Glover, as Eddie and Milo, add heart and dynamic as their grouchy and\nforgetful antics are always a good laugh. As you may know from the trailers,\nthe roster of characters makes it back, but not everyone is in the same avatar\nthey were last time. Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan\neffectively play this change. Awkwafina makes a debut and standouts among this\nroster as her signature fast mouth is always hilarious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-23167_23162_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5213\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-23167_23162_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-23167_23162_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-23167_23162_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption>Awkwafina, Dwayne Johnson and Karen Gillan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Jake Kasan\ndirects, as he did the first, and this is even better than the first in terms\nof stylistic choices and pacing. In fact, it captures the feel of a videogame\nbetter than the first. Every sequence feels like a level and the special\neffects are impressive, especially in the bridge chase which is inspired by the\nlikes of <em>Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom<\/em>, and the monkeys add pure\nadrenaline rush. This is truly my favorite scene in the movie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The message\nof this film is about teamwork, as the gang is willing to sacrifice themselves\nto rescue Spencer and leave no one behind. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars\nand recommend it for ages 8 to 18 due to action, suggestive content and some\nlanguage. The movie releases in theaters on December 13, 2019, so check it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)<br>By Abraham F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9VHN18L4lYI\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jumanji: The Next Level<\/em> is one of the most entertaining\nfilms I\u2019ve seen in a while and is an excellent sequel. The movie is funny when\nit knows to be and serious when called for as well. I do have a concern for\nthis series though, because the entire premise is the same as the original and\nit could wear out in the near future. Also, some of the tonal switches are\nreally sudden and it throws you off on how to feel in those scenes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-38501_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=225%2C143&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5220\" width=\"225\" height=\"143\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-38501_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=300%2C191&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-38501_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=768%2C489&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-38501_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption>Jack Black and Karen Gillan<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Jumanji: The Next Level<\/em> takes place two years after the\nevents of the first <em>Jumanji <\/em>movie. The\nfour friends &#8211; Martha, Spencer, Fridge and Bethany &#8211; have all gone their separate\nways. Over winter break they plan to get back together at a cafe called Nora\u2019s.\nWhen Spencer gets home he finds out his grandfather is staying with them as he\nrecovers from hip surgery. The night before the meet-up Spencer is feeling lost\nand goes to find the Jumanji game console, which we thought had been destroyed.\nThe following morning Martha, Fridge and Bethany\nshow up at Nora\u2019s and wait for Spencer. They call him and he doesn\u2019t pick,\nwhich makes them suspicious. So they go to his house where he cannot be found anywhere.\nSuddenly they hear ominous drumming so they check the basement where a fixed\nJumanji console sits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My favorite\npart of this movie is the expansion of the already interesting video game\nworld. They keep the video game aspect of the non-playing characters that serve\nthe same purpose as the first film, but give them slight alterations like a\nclassic video game. They also expand on the weaknesses and skills of each of\nthe characters based on what\u2019s coming, as a video game should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-30250_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=225%2C150&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5215\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-30250_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-30250_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/DF-30250_r_large_thumbnail.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption>Nick Jonas, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan star in Jumanji: The Next Level<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This movie has\nsome amazing star power! My personal favorites are Danny DeVito and Karen\nGillan. Danny DeVito is a veteran actor who has starred in films such as <em>The Rainmaker <\/em>and <em>L.A.<\/em><em> Confidential. <\/em>On the other side of the\nage spectrum is Karen Gillan, an amazing young actress known for playing Nebula\nin the MCU and Amy\nPond, the companion to the Eleventh Doctor in <em>Doctor Who.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The message of this movie is the same as\nthe original <em>Jumanji &#8211; <\/em>be yourself\nbecause ultimately that\u2019s what matters most. This movie will appeal most to\nfans of the first installment of the series and<em> The Fast and Furious <\/em>movies. I recommend this film for ages 12 to\n18, but adults will enjoy it as well. I give <em>Jumanji: The Next Level<\/em> &nbsp;3.5 out of 5 stars.\nIt opens in theaters December 12, 2019. Look for it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Spencer goes back into the fantastical world of Jumanji, pals Martha, Fridge and Bethany re-enter the game to bring him home. But the game is now broken &#8212; and fighting back. Everything the friends know about Jumanji is about to change, as they soon discover there&#8217;s more obstacles and more danger to overcome. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Calista B. comments, \u201cThis film is pretty entertaining and hilarious, and a surprisingly impressive sequel. It\u2019s a good example of \u201cstupid fun,\u201d and I mean that in a good way. And it is surprisingly emotional too.\u201d Arjun N. adds, \u201cJumanji: The Next Level keeps things playable, perhaps surpassing the first. The ensemble cast and direction add newfound levels of entertainment. Anyone interested in the Jumanji franchise must catch this on the biggest screen possible.\u201d Abraham F., wraps it up with, \u201cJumanji: The Next Level is one of the most entertaining films I\u2019ve seen in a while and is an excellent sequel. The movie is funny when it knows to be and serious when called for as well. I do have a concern for this series though, because the entire premise is the same as the original and it could wear out in the near future. Also, some of the tonal switches are really sudden and it throws you off on how to feel in those scenes.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15],"tags":[1114,1101,166,1096,1097,363,1098,1099,191,1104,1105,1108,1089,1094,1093,1090,1111,1092,1095,1091,1087,1113,1102,1112,273,1115,1100,1103,1109,1106,1088,1107,1110],"class_list":["post-5210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-abraham-finer","tag-alex-wolff","tag-arjun-nair","tag-ashley-scott","tag-awkwafina","tag-calista-bess","tag-colin-hanks","tag-dania-ramirez","tag-danny-devito","tag-danny-glover","tag-deobia-oparei","tag-derek-russo","tag-dwayhne-johnson","tag-jack-black-kevin-hart","tag-jake-kasdan","tag-jeff-pinkner","tag-jennifer-patino","tag-jumanji","tag-madison-iseman","tag-marin-hinkle","tag-martha-gillan","tag-melissa-kennemore","tag-morgan-turner","tag-nick-gomez","tag-nick-jonas","tag-review-by-youth","tag-rhys-darby","tag-rory-mccann","tag-sarah-bennani","tag-serdarius-blain","tag-the-next-level","tag-ulrike-stewart","tag-vanessa-cater"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-1m2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5210"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5227,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5210\/revisions\/5227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}