Jumanji was made during a time when
digital effects were far from perfect, however moderately they were relied on
in telling the imaginative story of a board game come to life. It was also made
during a period filled with nostalgia for me, as I remember experiencing the
excitement of the film in theaters as a kid. Regardless of how cartoonish the
computer generated monkeys may be, Jumanji
will always brings me back to a place of joy and wonder; a perfect fit for an
adaptation of the storybook by author Chris Van Allsburg, which I enjoyed as an
even younger child. Now I can enjoy the experience all over again, twenty-years
later, with the Blu-ray Anniversary Edition release.
When young Alan
Parrish discovers a buried board game outside his father’s shoe factory, he has
no idea what kind of unimaginable power will be unleashed by playing it with
his friend, Sarah. After an unfortunate roll banishes Alan to the jungles of
Jumanji, 26 years pass before the game is played again and he is freed as a
grown adult (played by Robin Williams). Siblings Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter
(Bradley Pierce) join forces with the grown Alan and Sarah (Bonnie Hunt) in an
attempt to finish the game they started 26 years prior, as the only way to make
the game stop is by completing it.
This strange
game is stacked with unfortunate events, appearing at each roll of the dice.
Every turn moves them closer to the finish line, but it also unleashes more of
the Jumanji jungle into the real world, so that soon there are exotic animals
wandering the city and a jungle growing in their home. As unfair as the game
may seem, it makes for exciting and unpredictable viewing each time one of them
takes their turn. This high energy spectacle is also perfectly suited for the
specific gifts of Robin Williams, who was family-film gold in the 1990s.
Although this
Anniversary Edition includes some all-new extras, this isn’t the first time Jumanji has been released on Blu-ray.
Included from past releases are the special effects crew commentary track,
storyboard comparisons, a Jumanji virtual board game, and several
behind-the-scenes featurettes. New to the Anniversary Edition are a few
episodes from “Jumanji: The Animated Series,” a motion storybook read by Chris
Van Allsburg and the original theatrical trailers. Also, in an attempt to
cross-promote the new Goosebumps
movie, the cast of the film talks about Jumanji. There is also a sneak peek of Goosebumps.
Entertainment Value:
9/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical Significance:
7/10
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