Movie Review: Jumanji: The Next Level – A Game That Gets Wilder, Weirder, and Deeper

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Sequels have a tough job. They have to be bigger, bolder, and somehow better than the original — without losing the heart that made audiences fall in love the first time. Jumanji: The Next Level not only accepts that challenge — it takes a flying leap off a dune and owns it.

Directed once again by Jake Kasdan, this 2019 follow-up to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is more than just a second round in the wild video game world — it’s a story about growing up, growing apart, and finding your way back to yourself (all while outrunning angry ostriches and dealing with body-swapping chaos).

Plot: The Game is Broken, and So Are the Players

It’s been a year since Spencer, Fridge, Bethany, and Martha barely survived their last trip through Jumanji. They’ve gone their separate ways — college life, new adventures — but not everyone is adjusting smoothly. Spencer, feeling out of place in the real world and longing for the confidence he had as Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), makes a reckless choice: he repairs the broken Jumanji game… and gets sucked back in.

The others follow to rescue him — but this time, the game isn’t playing fair. The world has changed, the rules are scrambled, and the avatars? All mixed up.

To make things even more insane, Spencer’s cranky grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his estranged friend Milo (Danny Glover) get pulled into the game too — and end up inside the bodies of Bravestone and zoologist Finbar (Kevin Hart). What follows is pure chaos… and a surprisingly moving journey of reconciliation.

Character Chaos: Who’s Who in This Body-Swap Bonanza

The magic of The Next Level is its cast — but even more so, the way the cast plays different characters in the same bodies. Dwayne Johnson doesn’t just reprise Bravestone — he channels Danny DeVito with hilarious grumpiness and old-man confusion. Watching The Rock mutter, “What’s a video game?” in a New Jersey accent is weirdly delightful.

Kevin Hart turns in a fantastic performance as Danny Glover’s Milo — slow, philosophical, and very confused by the action around him. His monologues about ostriches and life are bizarre, brilliant, and oddly touching.

Jack Black, once again, brings versatility by swapping between Bethany, Fridge, and even a new avatar. Karen Gillan’s Ruby Roundhouse continues to be fierce, clever, and grounded — the emotional anchor of the group.

New additions like Awkwafina (as a mysterious new avatar with her own twist) add freshness and unpredictability, while the returning villain Jurgen the Brutal (Rory McCann) provides a looming threat that forces everyone to level up — emotionally and physically.

The World Expands: From Jungles to Deserts to Frozen Peaks

While Welcome to the Jungle stayed mostly in, well, the jungle — The Next Level takes us on a global thrill ride. From treacherous sand dunes to rope bridges high above a canyon, to icy mountains crawling with mercenaries, the film visually explodes with variety and scale.

The production design and effects are stunning — but they never overwhelm the characters. The world always feels like a challenge designed for them, forcing them to face not just enemies, but themselves.

Bigger Laughs, Deeper Emotions

Yes, the movie is funny — often laugh-out-loud funny. But what’s surprising is how much heart it carries beneath the surface. The relationship between Eddie and Milo unfolds slowly, revealing decades of resentment and loss. Their story becomes one of forgiveness and second chances, culminating in a final scene that’s unexpectedly emotional.

Spencer’s arc, too, is more than just “the hero returns.” It’s about identity — about longing to be strong, confident, and admired — and realizing that those things don’t only live in a digital avatar. His journey is about embracing who he is outside the game.

Even Bethany, Martha, and Fridge find themselves pushed to reflect, reconnect, and rediscover what they mean to each other. It’s not just about surviving the game anymore. It’s about choosing the kind of person you want to be once you’re back in the real world.

Action: Relentless, Ridiculous, and Refreshing

From camel chases in the desert to death-defying jumps between platforms (with lethal booby traps), the action in The Next Level is tighter and more creatively executed than ever. The sense of danger is real, but it’s always laced with humor and character-driven tension.

The game mechanics remain clever — lives are limited, powers and weaknesses are shuffled — and every sequence builds toward a bigger, riskier showdown. You never feel safe. And that’s exactly how Jumanji wants it.

Final Verdict: Level Up, and Hold On Tight

Jumanji: The Next Level takes everything that made its predecessor work — heart, humor, adventure — and cranks it up. It’s not just a repeat. It’s a reinvention. A more complex, character-rich journey that mixes laughs with loss, action with introspection.

By the end, you realize something powerful: this isn’t just about beating the game. It’s about what you’re willing to change, to forgive, and to fight for once you leave it.

Rating: 9.2/10
The stakes are higher. The laughs are louder. The jungle’s just the beginning.