Jumanji (1995)

Jumanji (1995)

8/10

Starring

Robin Williams

Kirsten Dunst

David Alan Grier

Bonnie Hunt

Jonathan Hyde

Bebe Neuwirth

Directed by Joe Johnston

When I was younger in the 90s, there was nothing as amazing as seeing the late Robin Williams as Alan Parrish take on the world of Jumanji.

Williams acting and the way he played a man out of touch with the present day that he is, is something you must see to appreciate.

Maybe younger people will appreciate the Dwayne Johnson editions of the movie better, but neither holds a candle to this magnificent original. These were direct sequels to this 1995 movie released in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). The 2017 and 2019 sequels are connected to this movie, but there was a non-connected sequel in 2005 called Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005), which was also a very good movie.

Regardless of the time to which this movie was released the plot, acting and everything the movie entails still makes it a masterpiece and a reason why I believe a sequel and not a reboot was done. Also, one of the best child acting you can see was done by Kirsten Dunst and along with the late Robin Williams, they made this movie easy to watch even now.

This movie is a fantasy adventure film which is an adaptation of the 1981 children's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg. The plot here centers around Alan, who as a younger boy failed to be responsible for his actions and also take on the younger boys that were bullying him.

When he was trying to get away from his bullies one day he ran into his father’s warehouse and there he caused a mess, left without taking responsibility for it and then he heard the sound of the drums.

The Jumanji game gives out sounds of drums inviting the hearer to come play it. Alan succumb to the sound and traced it to retrieve the game. He took it to his home where he had a fight with his father and who then leaves for his dinner with Alan’s mother. Alone, he gets a visit from a girl he likes Sarah, she too hears the drums and they both sit to play.

Her first roll brings bats to the house, the second roll by Alan, gets him sucked and trapped in the game. The only way out for him was if someone plays five or eight. But when Sarah saw Alan get sucked into the game, she runs away.

Twenty-six years later, we find out that everyone believes Alan has been murdered some think it was by his father.

Their house has now been sold to a lady who is watching over her niece (Judy: Kristen Dunst) and nephew (Peter) whose parents had died. It is when the children who also hearing the drums, started playing the game. They released dangerous mosquitoes and monkeys before Peter rolled a five releasing a now grown Alan (Robin Williams) and a Lion.

Now Alan is happy to be out and wants nothing to do with the game, the children are freaked by all that has happened and they want everything to end. Which according to the rule of the game will only happen when they finish the game.

I do not mind the new sequels, but there is nothing as good as this 1995 original.