Movie Review: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Knowing how reboots usually go, I was pretty certain that Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle would end where most reboots do - annoyingly underwhelming or just downright disappointing. So yes, color me surprised when the this turned out to be more than I ever could've hoped for.

The narrative wasn't particularly groundbreaking, but the creative details infused throughout the film simulating an actual video game were quite clever. The comedy wasn't entirely crude like a lot of comedies these days yet still completely hysterical, the visual effects were just cartoonish enough to walk the line between fun and convincing, and the script had a couple of great moments that the fantastic cast absolutely capitalizes on. Yes, the four leads were casted perfectly and it felt like most of them - maybe save for Kevin Hart - had a hoot playing against type. I did feel that the villain was a bit of a let down though, but I digress.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was exactly what you would expect it to be - an entertainingly silly reboot of a beloved film you didn't think you needed. Comparisons will be inevitable, but as a standalone film, this was surprisingly good. I had a smile on my face the whole time.