An entertaining sequel that doesn’t recapture the magic of the prior film. “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” had a great mixture of action, comedy and heart…not to mention a fresh take on an old franchise. The latest installment keeps what worked, and even makes some improvements. One of my biggest complaints of the last film is that once inside the video game, some of the actors did a poor job of making you feel like they were the same characters from the real world that were transported into new bodies. In the new film they are able to pull it off much more convincingly. Where the new film falls short is the comedy, which is fairly flat, and the action, where nobody ever truly feels in danger. Also, the overall plot is too much like the previous film, and makes even less sense. However, even it takes until close to the end of the movie, they manage to nail the emotional beats and make the journey feel worthwhile. Also, there is a brief scene a few seconds into the end credits to keep a watch for.
**1/2 out of *****