Hey Guys, Jumanji's Also a Great Movie
I wanted to avoid doing another movie review so soon, but I feel Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle isn't getting the praise it deserves because it released while The Last Jedi is still in theaters.
To be fair, I only saw this movie on a whim and was happily surprised (not by it being better than The Last Jedi; that's a given). The acting is superb, the story is clever, and no knowledge of the first Jumanji is required for optimal enjoyment.
Here are all the things I think this movie did right. Also, spoilers.
------
Dismissable Plotholes
The Jumanji board game from the first film gets upgraded to a video game in Welcome to the Jungle, and the movie does a good job distinguishing the two. The players die when they run out of lives, they can pull up their character profiles in the form of a holographic menu, and NPCs repeat themselves once they've exhausted their dialogue options.
I know how sarcastic this might sound, but I'm genuinely impressed by the film's ability to easily dismiss its plotholes simply by falling back on the fact that it's taking place within a video game (And video games can be poorly written.) I think it's very clever, both because it's demonstrated by at least two intentional plotholes and because it catches any unintentional ones on the writers' parts.
When the Nigel NPC shows up in his Range Rover to give the players their mission and then again at the end of the game to congratulate them, you don't question why they didn't just ride Nigel's vehicle all the way to the end--it's just part of the game. Similarly, you don't question why the main villain can control animals even after the players acquire the mystical jewel that granted him that power in the first place. Nor, then, does it matter why the bad guy even wants the jewel back after that point.
------
Believable Characters
There's a huge difference between characters making poor decisions in this movie and in The Last Jedi. Namely, they're all a bunch of dumb teenagers. Petty, short-sighted, naive teenagers.
That's not to say their mistakes aren't frustrating--rather, they're not out-of-character. The players lose a few of their "lives" in the beginning due to them being teenagers making teenager decisions. The frustration you feel is a good thing in this case because you're emotionally invested in their peril. Contrast that with the frustration you feel when Poe Dameron, an experienced, high-ranking space commander, decides sacrificing an entire fleet to blow up one capital ship is a solid plan.
Also, credit to the actors, especially The Rock and Jack Black, for really playing the "kids trapped in adult bodies" parts right.
------
Consistent Rules
The rules of the Jumanji game aren't fully explained in the beginning. Welcome to the Jungle's characters learn how the game works at the same time the audience does, and often through trial and error. In doing so, the film does a great job showing rather than telling.
When The Rock falls from the sky upon entering Jumanji, we learn how players spawn. When Jack Black's tattoo changes when he dies, we learn about player lives. More and more rules are established over the movie, and they remain consistent throughout.
All this builds up to a satisfying payoff at the climax of the film, when the players take advantage of the rules to win the game in a clever way. By learning how everything "works" alongside the characters, we not only share in their predicament, but also their triumph.
Established, consistent rules are important in any fantasy world setting--doubly so if your entire film is centered around a video game. Welcome to the Jungle does a good job sticking to its own rules, where many other film franchises do not. I mean, how do you think we ended up with midi-chlorians?
To be fair, I only saw this movie on a whim and was happily surprised (not by it being better than The Last Jedi; that's a given). The acting is superb, the story is clever, and no knowledge of the first Jumanji is required for optimal enjoyment.
Here are all the things I think this movie did right. Also, spoilers.
------
Dismissable Plotholes
 |
| Nick Jonas plays the gator on the left. |
I know how sarcastic this might sound, but I'm genuinely impressed by the film's ability to easily dismiss its plotholes simply by falling back on the fact that it's taking place within a video game (And video games can be poorly written.) I think it's very clever, both because it's demonstrated by at least two intentional plotholes and because it catches any unintentional ones on the writers' parts.
When the Nigel NPC shows up in his Range Rover to give the players their mission and then again at the end of the game to congratulate them, you don't question why they didn't just ride Nigel's vehicle all the way to the end--it's just part of the game. Similarly, you don't question why the main villain can control animals even after the players acquire the mystical jewel that granted him that power in the first place. Nor, then, does it matter why the bad guy even wants the jewel back after that point.
------
Believable Characters
There's a huge difference between characters making poor decisions in this movie and in The Last Jedi. Namely, they're all a bunch of dumb teenagers. Petty, short-sighted, naive teenagers.
That's not to say their mistakes aren't frustrating--rather, they're not out-of-character. The players lose a few of their "lives" in the beginning due to them being teenagers making teenager decisions. The frustration you feel is a good thing in this case because you're emotionally invested in their peril. Contrast that with the frustration you feel when Poe Dameron, an experienced, high-ranking space commander, decides sacrificing an entire fleet to blow up one capital ship is a solid plan.
Also, credit to the actors, especially The Rock and Jack Black, for really playing the "kids trapped in adult bodies" parts right.
 |
| Pictured: Kids trapped in adult bodies |
Consistent Rules
The rules of the Jumanji game aren't fully explained in the beginning. Welcome to the Jungle's characters learn how the game works at the same time the audience does, and often through trial and error. In doing so, the film does a great job showing rather than telling.
When The Rock falls from the sky upon entering Jumanji, we learn how players spawn. When Jack Black's tattoo changes when he dies, we learn about player lives. More and more rules are established over the movie, and they remain consistent throughout.
 |
| When you die in Jumanji, you die in real life. |
All this builds up to a satisfying payoff at the climax of the film, when the players take advantage of the rules to win the game in a clever way. By learning how everything "works" alongside the characters, we not only share in their predicament, but also their triumph.
Established, consistent rules are important in any fantasy world setting--doubly so if your entire film is centered around a video game. Welcome to the Jungle does a good job sticking to its own rules, where many other film franchises do not. I mean, how do you think we ended up with midi-chlorians?
Comments
Post a Comment