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Jumanji: The Next Level

Aging is a part of life but growing up is optional.

By Mary KnutsonPublished 4 years ago 2 min read
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Photo credit to Skitterphoto

As a child, the 1995 Jumanji was always a part of weekends with my Nana. It was the first action adventure movie I really remember that wasn’t gory or bloody and didn’t get too scary for my fraidy-cat self. Robin Williams kept it interesting and made jokes that broke up the intensity so it wasn’t too much for a child to take in all at once.

Now, in 2020, Jumanji has come out with its third movie and remains true to the original theme of bringing people together. Nana and I made time to go to our local theatre to see it and were not disappointed. The movie held every twist and turn imaginable — including the “players” switching avatars, new players, and even hinted at the world of Jumanji leaking into their reality much like the original did.

This film also held more nods to the original than the last. While the main character of the original Jumanji movie, Alan Perish, wasn’t mentioned by name in this one as he was in the last, the film does take place during Christmas time and during the after credit scene ostriches are seen running through the streets of their small town.

The Christmas aspect was one I found really intriguing. Everyone came together to help the people they cared about, much like in the original. They learned what it means to be present for those you care about and each, in turn, learned the extents that the others would go to see them safe.

While I found the ending a little anticlimactic, I thought it was fantastic how much the film focused on characters and developing the relationships between them. They showed the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship and how it’s difficult but not impossible to hold onto close friends after high school.

It’s an interesting parallel to see how Grampa Eddie (Danny DeVito) and Milo (Danny Glover) are also working on their friendship versus how Spencer (Alex Wolff) and Martha (Morgan Turner) work to fix their relationship. No matter what age someone is, it’s never too late to fix a relationship.

As a college student, I found it very motivational to see a major movie portray the idea of how everything around us may change but we can hold onto those friendships we formed in our youth (yes, I said youth and am a youth. Moving on…). It won’t always be easy, but it will always be worth it.

They didn’t focus as much on storyline in this movie and I found it to be a little rushed during moments. I couldn’t help but think “This can’t be the end,” during the final battle. I kept waiting for more but am not entirely sure why. It definitely left an impact though I’m not sure it left me as fulfilled as the first two movies. It almost felt as though they ran out of time and had to cut the final battle short of what it was supposed to be. Overall, I loved the movie. It really brought me back in time to days spent inside with my Nana and it was fulfilling to be able to relive those memories for the first time in a whole new way. To watch a movie as an adult and be transported to your childhood is truly an incredible feeling. Aging is a part of life, but growing up, well, that’s optional.

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About the Creator

Mary Knutson

Mary has been writing for as long as she can remember. With a degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing, she works to push the limits of what writing and do. Her dream is to become a full-time novelist and literature enthusiast.

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