Time: 104 Minutes
Cast:
Robin Williams as Alan Parrish
Kirsten Dunst as Judy Shepherd
David Alan Grier as Carl Bentley
Bonnie Hunt as Sarah Whittle
Bebe Neuwirth as Nora Shepherd
Director: Joe Johnston

A magical board game unleashes a world of adventure on siblings Peter (Bradley Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst). While exploring an old mansion, the youngsters find a curious, jungle-themed game called Jumanji in the attic. When they start playing, they free Alan Parrish (Robin Williams), who’s been stuck in the game’s inner world for decades. If they win Jumanji, the kids can free Alan for good — but that means braving giant bugs, ill-mannered monkeys and even stampeding rhinos!

I remember watching the first Jumanji many years ago. I decided to revisit it, and I think that it is still quite good today.

Jumanji is a bit silly by today’s standards, but overall it is still solid. It’s a fun adventure which adds in escalating twists and challenges for the main characters as they try to complete the game. There’s a surprising emotional core to it, and the heartfelt and sincerity added a lot to the film. It even gets darker and scarier than you’d expect it to. That said, Jumanji doesn’t take itself too seriously. Most of the comedic moments work, and it’s entertaining throughout, helped by a brisk runtime and pace.

There’s a cast of great and sincere performances, especially with the 4 main leads in Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt, Robin Williams, and Bradley Pierce. As expected, Robin Williams is the standout. Of course, he does well with the comedy but is more dramatic than you’d expect. He’s still very entertaining and gives his performance a lot of energy, however he still plays his part fairly straight, and does convey being someone who was trapped for over 2 decades in Jumanji suddenly returning to the real world.

Joe Johnston directed this really well. The effects are cheesy and at times glaringly fake, yet they are fun to watch. The practical effects however are still impressive. There are definitely some visuals and moments that will scare young children, and the movie isn’t afraid of leaning into that at times.  

Jumanji is a highly enjoyable fantasy adventure movie, with good humour and a great cast. It’s far from the best adventure movie you’ll see but is definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already.