When Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle debuted in 2017, I approached it with deep skepticism. It felt like another hollow attempt to revive a childhood favorite, and the premise—shifting from a mystical board game to a video game—seemed entirely misplaced. How could a digital medium possibly capture the eerie, atmospheric dread of the original? Furthermore, I wasn’t particularly invested in the star power of Dwayne Johnson or Kevin Hart. They lacked the singular comedic genius of Robin Williams, an icon who defined my youth and whose work remains timeless.
However, the resounding critical and commercial acclaim pushed me to reconsider. After watching it, I realized that the reboot isn’t just competent—it’s significantly more polished and genuinely funnier than the 1995 predecessor. The same holds true for its follow-up, Jumanji: The Next Level.
The core concept of Welcome to the Jungle centers on four teenagers who stumble upon a vintage, Atari-style console. Once they choose their avatars and enter the game, they are physically transformed, often into roles that starkly contrast with their real-world personalities. Watching a self-obsessed teen grapple with the body of Jack Black is a highlight of the film’s premise, as they must complete the quest to earn their way home.
In contrast, the 1995 classic relied on a more grounded, albeit magical, foundation: two children in 1969 discover a jungle-themed board game. Decades later, a new set of players unwittingly releases the game’s chaotic contents into the real world, forcing them to team up with the long-lost, now-adult Alan Parrish (Williams) to restore order.
While the original film’s conceit—derived from the hauntingly beautiful 1981 children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg—is arguably more imaginative, the reboot succeeds through its clever evolution of the IP. It avoids the trap of mimicking the original, opting instead for a fresh spin. Surprisingly, it is in the technical execution that the original 1995 film falters, while the reboot remains consistently engaging.
The spectacle of wild animals stampeding through suburban streets is grand, but it is frequently betrayed by aging, lackluster CGI. While I typically overlook dated effects, the visuals here are distractingly inconsistent. The lion, for example, fluctuates awkwardly between a believable animatronic and an unconvincing digital model, and the monkeys look so artificial that they fail to pose a credible threat to the audience’s immersion.
Even accounting for the limitations of 1995, one could argue that a blend of practical effects and trained animals—standard practice at the time—could have yielded a more cohesive result. Director Joe Johnston reached for a level of ambition that technology couldn’t quite support, whereas the modern reboot utilizes CGI that, while not groundbreaking, serves the narrative without jarring the viewer.
Furthermore, there is the matter of Robin Williams. While I hold his legacy in the highest regard, Jumanji never actually utilized his full potential. The script was too thin to showcase the rapid-fire wit of Aladdin or the genuine emotional depth found in Good Will Hunting. His character felt interchangeable; he was a star in a vehicle that didn’t require his specific brilliance.
Conversely, the leads in Welcome to the Jungle lean into their roles with chaotic, hilarious enthusiasm, particularly in the body-swapping dynamics. This is taken to even greater heights in Jumanji: The Next Level, where veterans like Danny DeVito and Danny Glover bring a masterful, cynical energy to their avatars. Seeing Johnson and Hart mimic these comedic legends shows the franchise finding its true stride.
Admittedly, the two iterations serve different masters: one is a quintessential family film from the 90s, and the other is a modern, PG-13 blockbuster. While nostalgia will always favor the original for some, stripping away the rose-tinted glasses reveals that the rebooted Jumanji films are, by almost every modern metric, superior pieces of entertainment.
Source: Polygon
