I am not a fan of the first Jumanji from back in 1995, which I feel is overproduced hokum with brutish special effects.  And why does so much modern “adventure” mean putting children in peril so often?  I don’t get it.  So I wasn’t looking forward to a new iteration of the idea, especially one with Dwayne Johnson, who seems to be trying to take over the entertainment industry one franchise at a time.  So imagine my surprise when I was gleefully impressed by this movie; it exceeded all of my expectations.

Jake Kasdan’s film follows the basic “Jumanji” premise but adds a wonderful twist — the teenagers who play the game (now electronic rather than a board game) are sucked into it and become the adult avatars they have chosen.  Which means that Dwayne Johnson plays not just Dr. Smolder Breakstone, but Spencer, the nerdy teenager who’s inhabiting that avatar.  Likewise, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan are all playing teenagers trapped in the bodies of adult avatars, so they must convey all the traits and idiosyncrasies of those characters through the surface characteristics of the heroic avatars.  The cast is terrific at this double duty, but special mention must be given to Jack Black, whose self-absorbed Bethany is wonderfully realized.

The adventure itself is fun and compelling, mixing laughs and thrills with a few moments of gross-out disgust, courtesy of Bobby Cannavale, the carrier host for all sorts of nasty vermin.  Thanks to the sterling script by Chris McKenna and three other writers this movie adventure absolutely lives up to its adventurous ambition.  The characters themselves determine the action, even when things seem predestined and the path forward rather obvious.  Kasdan makes sure to have fun with the tropes associated with this kind of movie, from the “Lara Croft”-like outfit for Ruby Roundhouse (Gillan) to the various dangers of the jungle and the three lives assigned to each character.

Then, when everything wraps up, there’s a beautiful reunion sequence that won’t leave a dry eye in the house.  Credit Kasdan and the producers for turning an adolescent high-concept fable into a remarkably affecting action-adventure.  Everything works, and everyone involved should be justifiably proud of the result.  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  22 February 2018.