Jumanji (1995)

After the success of Jurassic Park in 1993, the floodgates opened for digital special effects, and Jumanji is nothing if not a showcase for computer-generated creepiness guaranteed to give young children a nightmare or two. Whether that was the filmmakers' intention is up for debate, since this is a PG-rated adventure revolving around a mysterious board game that unleashes a terrifying jungle world upon its players, including gigantic spiders, huge mosquitoes, a stampede of rhinos, elephants, and every other jungle beast you can imagine. Robin Williams plays a man-child who's been trapped in the world of "Jumanji" for 26 years until he's freed by two kids who've discovered the game and released its parade of dangerous horrors. A chaotic and misguided attempt at family entertainment, the movie does offer a few good laughs, and the effects are frequently impressive, if not entirely convincing to the eye. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

A single jarring note

I love this movie, but it has one terrible flaw, and it saddened me greatly to hear it. When the grown boy is seeking the girl he once played with, he mumbles disparagingly that she is probably living in a trailer park.

And with that snobbish aside, from a person I formerly respected as a humanist, a million kids - who live in trailer parks or the equivalent - were ushered out of the fun.

It would be worth sending it to that company in Utah that edits out bad words and sex scenes, to get that cruel sentence removed. October 3, 2008

A voyage of surprising depth and symbolism that culminates in a boy's realization of the flaws of the human soul.

*may contain spoilers*
On the surface, Jumanji appears to be an actual child's game, meant for amusement purposes, with a surprising twist. Upon further examination, it becomes clear that Jumanji itself is NOT a game, but a metaphor for the difficulties our souls must face before we can confront our fears. At the beginning of the film, Alan Parish is burdened by his inability to confront his fears; a problem which may, in an almost Freudian manner, stem from a strained relationship with his own father. "Jumanji" is a physical representation of this burden, and since at the time he is unable to confront it, he is pulled into the jungle of his fears, unable to escape. He overcomes his flaws not only when he "beats the game", but, as we see thanks to both Van Pelt and Alan's father being played by the same actor, when he finally has the strength to confront his father. I did not care for the subplot involving jungle animals wreaking havoc on the city, but this is merely an unhelpful footnote in a powerful story of one boy's self-actualization. April 27, 2008

Ana Luiza Mansour

Lots of adventure and thrills... gripping till the end. Wonderful visual and sound effects. April 26, 2008

great movie

This is an awesome movie. Some parts are extremely funny. But it's mostly serious in a cool way. It's a very fun movie to see. March 29, 2008

Jumanji

Good movie and it does great--no flaws at all.

Thank you,
Lester A.Vineyard March 18, 2008

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