THE POP-O-MATIC JUNGLE
"Jumanji", ILM's latest effects-soaked extravaganza, is yet another example of how important story really is. Taking a visual cue from ILM's magician logo, the screenwriters seem to be content with pulling set pieces from out of thin air. One can imagine the pitch meeting for this film sound- ing something like, "it'll be like the T-rex attack in 'Jurassic Park' -- for the whole movie!!" Where "Jurassic's" story wasn't exactly material for "Masterpiece Theater", it did make the initial premise -- a dinosaur game preserve/theme park -- seem initially wonderous and exciting, to the characters and the aud- ience. Only later do we realize, "Oh, right, unless everything went perfectly, not only would it not be great, it would probably be extremely dangerous." The majority of "Jurassic" is a pretty exciting illustration of that realiza- tion. In "Jumanji", however, not only do we have no idea why the game was ever created, we additionally have no convincing reason given to us why anyone would want to *play* it. The squares are conveniently blank -- if anyone were actually aware of the tropical travails generously strewn along the game path, as well as the fact that each square's caption will really happen to you -- most folks would blow the game into a million pieces and scatter the remains amongst the four corners of the globe. Ostensibly the main character begins playing to escape his uncaring parents and bullying peers. The script, while furnishing needs for its hero, apparently forgot that the game doesn't ever fufill any of them. One would think that initially the game would make his life better, and later reveal a deadly price. "Jumanji", however, is one nasty, powerful game; giving anyone who plays it nothing but abuse. Still, three sets of children fall prey to its seductively hand-carved board and jungle rhythms that (apparently) only they can hear. Additionally, there's no evidence given that any of the threats re- leased by the game can only be resolved by the game's finish. We're left with that sinking feeling that the only reason the game continues is that it is the sole force of motivation in the plot, and not a paticularly strong one at that. The characters aren't paticularly strong as written, and the perform- ances can't take up the slack. Most of the gags in the movie are of the post- "Gremlins" variety of people freaking out over the goings-on, and various jun- gle beasts creating chaos. An odd response to the havoc is that the majority of the townsfolk begin looting once the game's effects are felt. The computer- generated effects, while polished and lively, aren't always very convincing when presented as real animals. I got the same feeling here that I got when I saw "The Mask" -- enjoyment of a lively effects sequence, followed by impa- tience for the next effects sequence as I sat through a rather arid plot. As the film (and game) reached a conclusion, the viewer is thrown a curve ball -- the game resolution is of a back-to-square-one quality that, while appropriate for a board game, was unsatisfying for me as it allowed more than one character to fix mistakes made earlier in the film. I've never liked this device all that much, and coupled with the generally uninvolving proceed- ings, really ended the film poorly. I felt the film was ultimately saying that you have to meet your parents more than halfway when things aren't going well; after all, they love you even if you never see it. Not recommended.
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- Jeff "When I'm Finished With You, They'll Be Stumbling Over YOU In The Dark" Pidgeon
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