There are some films I can’t help but feel are “unreviewable”.  By that I mean that almost anyone that goes to see such a film will likely walk away if not loving what they’ve seen at least feeling they’ve had a good time.

So it is with me and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Is the film some kind of cinematic classic?  No.  Did it feature a plot that was so out there and so expansive that it shook/wowed me to the core?  No.  Did it play on my heartstrings with such precision and/or make me laugh or cry hysterically until I was a puddle of emotions?  Was the acting within transformational and re-define to me what it means to be an actor?

Nope, nope, nope, and nope.

But the film moved along at a brisk pace and provided enough laughs  -both big and small- and smiles and, yes, even a few surprise twists (which I won’t give away) that the film was certainly worth seeing.

The plot is essentially the same as the original Robin Williams starring Jumanji only presented with a video game twist.  In this case our four heroes, High School students who for various different reasons are sent to detention, find an old video game machine in the basement they’re serving their detention, connect it to a TV set, choose their characters in the Jumanji video game, then find themselves transported into the game proper, where they -very amusingly, IMHO- take on the video game characters who, of course, look like Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.

Which High Schooler becomes who is part of the fun, and I’ll just say that Jack Black in particular really does well in a role that might have proven difficult for others.

Now, there are a few things one can quibble over.  The special effects, especially some of the CGI, isn’t always great.  In fact, there are moments where it is surprisingly crude.  But, again, that’s something either you’ll accept -I’ve personally seen worse- or not.

A little more troublesome is the movie’s main villain, who unfortunately barely registers.  Granted, this is a movie where we have to get up to speed with four characters really quickly and spending precious screen time with yet another might have been hard to accomplish in the movie’s running time.  Still, I kinda wish there was a little more meat on this character’s bones, even if he is an NPC (see the film to understand!).

Obviously, I recommend this film!