In 1996, a teenage boy, named Alex, finds a board game, called “Jumanji.” He considers board games outdated. Later, the game updates into a video game and sucks Alex into it.

Twenty years go by. The story now focuses on four teenagers. There is the awkward Spencer Gilpin, the athletic Anthony Johnson (or “Fridge,” a nickname he goes by), a stereotypical pretty, princess-like girl named Bethany Walker, and a girl who hesitates to trust anyone, Martha Kaply.

All four students get detention for various reasons. Spencer and Fridge cheated on a school assignment. Bethany made a video call during a quiz in class. Martha talked disrespectfully to her gym teacher.

While in detention, the kids come across an old video game console, Jumanji. They plug it in and choose different avatars. However, the game acts peculiarly. It sucks all four into it.

Spencer becomes a strong archaeologist, Dr. Xander (or “Smolder”) Bravestone. Fridge becomes the zoologist, Franklin Finbar. Bethany becomes an overweight, middle-aged man, Professor Sheldon (“Shelly”) Oberon, who is a cartographer and paleontologist. Martha becomes Ruby Roundhouse, who is an expert in martial arts.

Of course, the four are shocked and even dissatisfied by their new appearances. But they also gain knowledge and strengths as their new selves.

After Bethany is eaten by a hippo, she falls from the sky back into the game as Professor Oberon. The others discover that they have three little stripes on their wrists. Each one represents a life. If they use up all three, they could actually die in the game.

The group meets Nigel Billingsley, the director of the game, who tells them what they need to do. Their goal is to break a curse Jumanji has gone under thanks to the evil archaeologist, Professor Van Pelt. He stole a magical jewel called the “Jaguar’s Eye,” which allowed him to gain control of all the animals in the jungle. The four main characters have to return the jewel to the shrine and then shout, “Jumanji!” in order to leave the game.

The group navigates through various obstacles in the jungle as well as get into little arguments along the way. Eventually, the group finds Alex, who has been stuck in the game for a while. They also discover that the year is 1996.

They need Alex to fly his helicopter to escape some dangerous soldiers. But Alex hesitates to since he is not good at it. However, he eventually does.

But Fridge drops the jewel. So, everyone has to turn around to go get it—only to discover that it is being guarded by a bunch of rhinos. They struggle to retrieve the jewel.

There are many aspects that I enjoyed about this movie. A big one was the humor. I laughed many times throughout it, although mostly during the first half.

An example is when Fridge ate cake at a market, thinking it was bread. Cake was one of his weaknesses. It made him physically explode, thus using up a life.

I admired the worldbuilding in the game, including how each player has three lives. I especially loved how the characters worked together as a team, including in silly ways. For instance, Bethany suggests to Martha that she flirts with the soldiers to distract them while she and the others get the helicopter. She even taught her how to flirt.

Another strength was the acting, especially having Jack Black talk like a teenage girl when he played Bethany as Dr. Oberon. It was funny.

The action, worldbuilding, humor, twists, and turns, and character development are the biggest strengths of this movie. That being said, there were a few weaknesses.

One was how the pacing was a little bit slower in the second half of the movie. But it did speed up once more action and fighting happened.

The other flaw was a scene where the characters had to do number 1, and Bethany was trying to learn how to do it as a male. It was a little too much and even unnecessary.

But overall, I enjoyed Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. It is a fun movie that anyone 13 and over can enjoy.

The movie is rated PG-13. One of the reasons is for language.

Anyway, I give the film 4 out of 5 stars. I may review the sequel later.