Like its predecessor, Jumanji Three: The Next Level successfully combines fantasy, action, and adventure with lots of comedy, a touch of romance, and lessons about friendship. Spoilers ahead.

At the end of the last film, the four high school students who got sucked into an old-school video game console and found themselves turned into adventure heroes, were so happy to get home that they smashed the game. However unknown to them, the game was still operational.

Spencer (Alex Wolff), the main character in the previous movie, has been unhappy and unconfident ever since they left the game. He decides to go back into the game and disappears from the world, forcing his friends, Bethany (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), and Martha (Morgan Turner), to go looking for him. Fridge and Martha get sucked into the game with Spencers grandfather Eddie (Danny Devito), and Milo(Danny Glover), an old business partner of Eddie’s. 

With Bethany left behind and Spencer nowhere to be found the four embark on their quest, soon discovering that the game isn’t the same as before. Fridge and Martha struggle to teach the old fogies how to play while also navigating the new perils and challenges. 

YC alumnus Cassidy Jackson enjoyed the movie very much, stating that, “Jumanji Three is a very funny movie, with some romantic interests. Mixed with the adventure theme it created the perfect movie for me, a rom-com action movie.” She explained that she likes this movie more than the previous one because of the introduction of Danny Devito, who is one of her favorite actors.

Although it follows essentially the same track as the first movie, the actors do a great job of impersonating the different characters each is forced to play. Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) plays the main protagonist in the video game, Dr. Smolder Bravestone, previously played by Spencer, is now controlled by Eddie. The Rock has to adopt Danny Devito’s acting style in order to play this character completely changing the feel of the movie. The same goes for Kevin Hart, who plays Franklin Finbar, Bravestone’s weapons valet. Hart has to change his high energy personality to match Milo’s slow moving slow talking calm actions. 

This Jumanji is not quite as dark as the original Jumanji, starring Robin Williams, however it is much more serious than Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, with many more serious lessons and less comedic scenes. This movie is a great family movie and is exciting, engaging the audience well and would easily capture children’s attention. 

Jumanji: The Next Level has a 71% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which I agree with. While it is very exciting and fun to watch, it fails to create a truly new feeling movie seemingly just copying the atmosphere of Welcome to the Jungle.