For a project with ostensibly big, Robin Williams-sized shoes to fill, it looks like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has emphatically emerged from the lion’s den to tame its first round of reviewers.
The social media embargo for the sequel to the beloved 1995 original has been lifted and the reviews are in – it’s good! Critics who have seen the movie have been sharing early reactions on social media, and the consensus is that it’ll be a fun flick for the whole family.
Saw @jumanjimovie last night and it is A LOT of fun! @TheRock @karengillan @KevinHart4real and #JackBlack are chemistry gold. The body swapping stuff totally works, the action scenes are well done and it’s got a great BIG heart at the center of it. Highly recommend it. #Jumanji pic.twitter.com/OmXkc1I24o
— John Steven Rocha (@TheRochaSays) November 27, 2017
Was expecting the worst but have to admit the new #JUMANJI movie is a lot of fun. I’d even say it is one of the best “video game movies” ever made, maybe under only King of Kong, Scott Pilgrim, Edge of Tomorrow & Wreck It Ralph (none of which are adaptations).
— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) November 27, 2017
Saw #Jumanji! It's light on nostalgia (besides a handful of Easter eggs), but a lot of fun. The body swap stuff is SO good. Could watch Jack Black play a teenage girl stuck in Jack Black's body, or @TheRock newly discover his muscles, forever. #WelcomeToTheJungle pic.twitter.com/yRIoQsWASV
— Mike Rougeau (@RogueCheddar) November 27, 2017
Hey, about that new #Jumanji: It's fun! It's the kind of family-friendly outing that should help settle a lot of debates this holiday season. Jack Black is very, very funny, and I kinda love how they attempt to make it a true sequel to the original with some wonky engineering.
— Kate Erbland (@katerbland) November 27, 2017
Happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. It's fun and funny in equal measure, and makes smart use of its great stars. Not much of a universe-builder for a fantasy sequel, but definitely a reinvention that works. pic.twitter.com/2I0vPg4zt3
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) November 27, 2017
There’s a lot of laughs and heart in #Jumanji. Cast has some pretty special chemistry and the game angle totally works. Props to @TheRock @KevinHart4real @karengillan and Jack Black for playing kids so well!
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) November 27, 2017
With most of the praise being heaped on the action, humour and cast, the film doesn’t look it’ll have much of a problem navigating a tricky holiday season, which also sees the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Bleeding Steel and Pitch Perfect 3.
Reuniting Central Intelligence co-stars Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, with Jack Black (Goosebumps), Karen Gillian (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Nick Jonas rounding up the talent, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is set 20 years after the events of the first film and follows four teenagers who must play as their avatars after getting sucked into the infamous board game.
Photocredit @ Sony Pictures Entertainment
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle opens in cinemas on 21 December 2017. Download the Popcorn app here to add this film into your watchlist and we'll notify you when tickets are on sale.