1 STICK TO MONOPOLY
Wow, can you imagine waking up on Christmas morning and finding JUMANJI under your tree? Talk about a game that would literally bring down the house! JUMANJI was critically bashed upon its release, but viewing it now, one has to wonder why. It has some pretty inventive special effects, and its premise is neat in that you never know what you get with the roll of the dice. Giant mosquitos? Spiders? Mad monkeys? A stampede of African animals? A crazed hunter? Floods, etc., etc. While the movie sometimes drifts off on unnecessary tangents, it's still a whirlwind of fantastical adventures. Robin Williams, the king of playing grown men who act like children, is remarkably restrained as Alan Parrish, a young boy who was sucked into the game back in 1969 and is released in 1995 by a young Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce. In order to stop all the horrendous things happening, they must finish the game Alan started in 1969, which includes his now adult girlfriend, lovingly played by Bonnie Hunt. Of course, the demented hunter (Jonathan Hyde in a dual role as the hunter and Alan's rather loutish father) doesn't want the game finished. Smaller children may find themselves frightened by some of the catastrophies that plague our heroes, but for older children and even us adult children, JUMANJI delivers.
2 Very Good
Robin Williams does a great job playing Alan Parish. He is one of the best adult "kid" actors there is. He plays a similar role in the film Jack.
The action is stunning, and the visual effects are awesome! The two kid actors did an awesome job playing Judy and Peter, and Bonnie Hunt does a great job portraying the ditsy palm reader-"Alan's girlfriend."
A very good film. A must see in this world of steriotypical trash.
3 too overplayed
I have this movie on video...and it's not even worth watching it anymore since it's played over and over on every cabel network. The only time this movie made an impact on me was when I saw it at the cinema.
4 AMAZING
What can I say? This is quite possibly the greatest movie of all time. Screw Roger Ebert and his One and a Half stars. He's an idiot. I don't know what Peter Travers gave it but listen to him anyways.
5 "In the Jungle You Must Wait..."
Robin Williams and a young Kirsten Dunst star in Jumanji, a colourful adventure film choc-full of safari-style thrills and (mid 1990s) special effects, right to the end.
1969. Alan Parish is a seventh grade New England kid with bully trouble. Maybe these kids are jealous of him, being a son of the wealthy head of Parish Shoes, or angered that he's spending so much time with their ringleader Billy Jessup's girlfriend, Sarah Whittle. Either way, he gets the heck beaten out of him on a regular basis. To make things worse, his emotionally distant father wants to send him to boarding school. This is all too much for Alan. He wants to run away, to leave his world behind. He gets this chance when he finds Jumanji, an african themed board game, buried on a construction site. Playing it with Sarah at his home, he discovers this is no ordinary game. The pieces move by themselves, words form in the black inky center after each turn, and the horrors they describe appear for real. Alan is sucked into the game, bats fly from the fireplace, and Sarah abandons the game, screaming all the way home.
26 years later, the Parish home is sold to Nora Shepherd with orphaned nephew Peter (Bradley Pierce) and niece Judy (Kirsten Dunst) reluctantly in tow. Since their parents died, Peter hasn't spoken a word in public and Judy is a chronic liar. Led by jungle drums, they discover Jumanji in the attic and continue playing where Alan and Sarah left off, summoning not only all sorts of horrors from deepest, darkest Africa, but a grown up Alan Parish (Robin Williams), wild from spending 26 years in the jungle. The more turns taken, the wilder their world becomes -with elephants, spiders, killer jungle vines. Will they be able to finish the game, to face their collective fears, or will they die trying?
There's a lot of change in this film, which for me made it very exciting to watch when I was younger. It was fun to watch the transformation of the Parish mansion from spotless and sterile to wild and foreboding, the transformation of local cop Bill's police car from immaculate to totally trashed at the hands of the Jumanji residents, Peter's transformation from boy to monkey after he tries to cheat in the game, the transformation of the citizens from polite and civilized (in 1969), to panicky and looting (at the discount store in 1995) and of course the transformation of the lives of the players once they completed the game.
I also enjoyed the variety of creatures who run amok in the town. Some are animatronic, while others are computer animated, it makes for a good mix. I wish there was more animatronic work in recent film, as I think animatronic creatures are far more realistic than many modern CGI film nasties. Even though there are so many creatures, they're never rushed or underdeveloped. They are summoned, the reappear later, they intermingle with one another. Each has a distinct character, the cheeky monkeys, the mindless stampeding elephants and rhinos.Even the pelican, which only has a small part in the film, has character.
I love the atmosphere of this film. There's a feeling that anything could happen here, a great feel to have for a movie like this. There's just something about the contrast between suburban New England and the enroaching Jumanji jungle. (A great choice in location, by the way).
An exciting adventure, with plenty a twist and turn to keep kids thrilled and entertained.
6 My kids went Ape over it!
My wife and I first saw Jumanji on the day we were due to deliver our first daughter. Last weekend I showed it to that daughter, now eight, and her six-year old sister. I have never seen kids so engaged in a movie as they were with Jumanji. They shouted warnings to the characters, jumped back when animals charged and instinctively raised their feet when floodwaters filled the house during the movie. The youngest has since begged me to let her take it to school to show her class.
Personally, I thought it was cute and entertaining. As to buying it, I wouldn't if it was just for me but having seen the way my kids behaved while watching it, I'll be getting it in a heartbeat.
7 This is Horror and Not Fantasy Comedy
During one of my late nights I watched Jumanji again. This is a film starring Robin Williams and is based on a children's book (if by based one can mean it shares the title and a few illustrations). The film was released as a special effects extravaganza but failed to live up to the advertising.
Jumanji is a mysterious board game. Once you start to play you have to end the game. Each roll of the dice unleashes some new nasty obstacle that must be overcome. This can be giant mosquitos and spiders, monkeys and lions, earthquakes, stampedes, quicksand and carnivorous vines, or something even nastier. When Robin Williams was a young boy he found the game buried at a construction site. The opening moves resulted in Williams being banished to the game until someone rolls a five or an eight. Unfortunately no one believes the young girl who had been playing the game with him.
The scene jumps ahead twenty-six years to the present and the new residents of the house find the old game and begin to play. Williams is returned, now twenty-six years older and very jungle-wise. The first things out of the game were destructive enough that the kids decide to finish the game so that everything will be back to normal. Unfortunately the game thinks there are now four players. Williams must find his childhood friend and convince her to continue the game.
As more and more destructive forces are released we learn that Williams's disappearance caused the town to go into a tailspin. The new horrors just speed up the decay. The four players face frustrating and deadly things as they finally finish the game. In the end all is returned to normal. The normal of when the game was started twenty-six years previously. Williams is now a kid again. The scene jumps to the present again and the town is prosperous while Williams tracks down the kids he finished the game with.
This is a very intense film and was probably not suited for the young target audience. This was marketed as a fun fantasy cor children, but what this film is in fact is juvenile horror. Not bad horror, but horror aimed at kids. Taken in that light it is a very well done film with tense moments, humor and subtleties and is worth checking out. But if you are looking for a fun-filled farce you would do better to look elsewhere.
8 Jumanji
Although a little creepy, I found this movie to be very exciting, and entertaining to watch. The actors did a great job of portraying their charecters! I found some scenes to be a little frightening, but fun. I was always on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next!
I would recommend this movie to anyone, except those who get scared easily.
9 A very entertaining film
This film does all you would want it to do. That is; entertain you.
I'm not going to outline the movie for you, many of the others have done that already. But, I will say you won't be sorry you got this movie, good effects, interesting concept, another good dramatic appearance by Robin Williams.
10 Awesome movie!
This movie is absolutely amazing. My kids had only been used to videos such as "There goes a bulldozer" or the Pooh videos. I figured I'd introduce them into the world of "big" movies with this one. At first I was a bit worried that my two year old would be scared of it, but he did fine. As soon as the movie was over, I had to turn it on again. At the time, my boys were ages 4 and 2. We watched this movie at least twice a day. My husband and I could recite the scenes word for word. And then, alas, they moved on to new movies. I still ask them to watch Jumanji. It's one of my favorites!
11 Greaat Movie
This is a great movie!
Its 1969. Alan Parish has troubles with his father. He finds a game named Jumanji at a construction site. He plays with his former friend Sarah Whiddle. They play, and until the game reads 5 or 8, in the jungle he must wait. The game isn't played until 26 years later by a young girl and boy that will be living in the Parish home. Peter, the young boy, rolls a 5, or 8, and he is unleashed. This wild movie is all in one day! It turns out they can not play until Sarah Whiddle joins. They find her and the whole town, including her try to believe it was the father that killed him. I hate to say it, but the ending is sad. Once they finish the game, it should all dissappear. Robin Williams isn't the only one relased from the game. Who else? Go buy it now!
12 Sorry Robin
Jumanji has its moments, but you might as well tape it off cable. Robin Williams is probably embarrassed about this film, although it's not entirely his fault. The film drags, the characters are stick figures. Almost dreadful.
13 exellent family film
This film is wonderful, who ever written this must have an amazing imagination, its got all genres, frightning, funny, romantic,weird. This is a beautifully made family film.as good for mum and dad as it is for the kids.Alan Parish life is turned upside down when he discovers the mysterious board game jumanji,in his attic, he plays it with friend sarah until he is sucked into the game to a jungle full of animals,20 years on he escapes and returns to his home to find his parents have died and finds two kids living in his house.peterand judy. they play the game,resulting in a flood, a stampede.....this film is so magical,i havent heard one bad word for it.the acting is exeptional, robin williams best film ever made.i recommend you to try this film out. gather by the television,eat popcorn and put your feet up.one for all the family even grandma and grandpa will like it!
14 Lock away your worries and become a kid again
This is one of the seemingly rare films that you can watch as a kid, and then watch as an adult, and don't hate it because, cos it seems "childish" now. It's like the Narnia stories by C.S. Lewis, I can read those as an adult, be transported to when I was a kid, and not understanding the religious undertones, to reading it as an adult, and understanding them.
I love Robin Williams films. He's one of the best older actors around at the moment, although one of my all-time fave films will be Miss Doubtfire. You get his full range of voices, and funny characteristics in that film. In Jumanji, he's more serious, but in the extras, he's back to his Miss Doubtfire funniness. There's one particularly line, while they're filming the earthquake sequence, and Robin Williams is hanging onto Bonnie Hunt for dear life. In the extras, you actually see he's standing on a plank of wood. Then you see this guy sawing away at something, and Robin goes "That can't be good". It's just the way he comes out with these things!
Of all the special effects in this movie, the monkeys are the best - sorry, the lion isn't a patch on Aslan. They are so hilarious, whether they're in the kitchen (the monkey switching on the cooker, and nearly getting his a** burnt!), or on the motorbike (monkey with massive helmet on!)
The extras are kinda disappointing for a collectors edition. There are a few good documentaries, but they show a lot of the same clips over and over. Some of it is interesting, and you see some of the storyboards for the stampede, earthquake, and bats. Seeing storyboards are quite interesting, although the drawings of the animals does get kind of tedious flicking through them.
It's still strange seeing Kirsten Dunst so young, yet she's only 2 years older than me, and has done so much with her life. She must look back on this film and cringe - she does look a bit daft at times.
Interesting fact for all you Disney fans out there: Bradley Pierce (Peter) was the voice of Chip in Beauty & The Beast! I didn't know that until I read his profile on the DVD.
So sit back, unplug the phone, and be transported to your childhood. Enjoy.
15 Rumble from the Jungle
Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) discovers a strange and exciting looking game, at a construction site, and takes it home to play, he unleashes a storm of wild animals and other weird and wonderful creatures form the jungle, and disappears.
30 years later, two children (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce) who have just lost their parents move with their aunt, to the same old house, where Alan Parrish lived.
They find this strange game in the attic, and begin to play it, unleashing, lions, zebras, monkeys, crocodiles, floods, giant insects, killer plants, bats and an insane hunter-adventurer from the 19th century, as well as all sorts of other dangers from the jungle.
They only start to find a solution to the Pandora's box of dangers they have released, when they release Alan Parrish himself, now grown up and a wild jungle man, from the jungle.
David Alan Grier plays the police man who is roped into the wild adventure, against his own wishes, (and not sure if he hasn't gone insane). Kirsten Dunst shines in her role , showing what a lovely, talented young actress she is.
16 Jumanji is fun!
What a great movie and a clever concept! A board game that sucks you into it, and must be finished by the originals who played the game. I remember seeing Jumanji in the movie theatre when it first came out, and this past weekend had the opportunity to rewatch it (thank you resale DVDs!)
Starring Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt, the action is fast paced and easy to follow. No swearing in this movie makes it appropriate for all ages, though little ones might be frightened by the rampaging animals. There is nothing Disneylike in their qualities.
Still, the story of sticking together and teamwork prevail throughout the entire film. Bebe Neuwirth and David Alan Greier are great in their supporting roles. Bonnie Hunt gets some of the best lines in the film with regards to cheating and a downtown sale. An early Kirstin Dunst is also great.
If you have never seen Jumanji, I encourage you check it out. It's fun and you always wonder what the game is going to come up with next.
17 Would u like a board game like this?
I first saw this movie at the movie theatres when I was 7. Now I am 14 and I still like this movie. It is about a board game, when you play it real things from the jungle come to life from the game. Four characters must finish the game to make everything from the game go away. I am very impressed with the way the animals and the effects looked. The actors did an excellent job especially Bonnie Hunt and Robin Williams. The movie went by smoothly. I enjoyed the movie a lot. The movie may be a little dark because my little sister was scared the first time she saw it. Everytime she watches it more she gets less scared. I don't know why. I recommend this movie to anybody!
18 It was the Never Ending Neverending Story.
Movie started off good and held mine and the families interest for a while, but it went on and on and on. Most of the family had left the room by the end. Ol'dad stayed till the end, and it wasn't worth it. Good thing we only rented it. Some of the special effects were pretty good and the likeable, but the story just got in the way.
19 Fun but far-fetched
This movie is about a board game gone wild (literally!). It's a fun fantasy-land in the "real world" that becomes frightening with a hunter that hunts people, rhinos that trample cars, and spiders that are almost human size (I still have to close my eyes at that part!). There is some element of romance, but it's primarily a comic adventure. Just stay away from any board games that play conga drums!
20 Fascinating, well-acted film for teenagers and adults
In Jumanji, 13 year-old Alan Parrish has difficulty communicating with his domineering father. During an intense argument, Alan shouts at his departing father, "I'm never going to talk to you again" and then prepares to run away. He is interrupted by Sarah, a classmate. The two begin to play a strange board game which Alan had unearthed earlier that afternoon at a construction site. Weird and scary things pop out of the game with each roll of the dice. Alan's piece lands on a space which reads "in the jungle you must wait until someone rolls a 5 or 8" and Alan is sucked into the board while Sarah hysterically runs away. Some twenty-five years later, two children find the board game in the attic of their new home. They begin to play and proceed to release monkeys, killer mosquitoes and a lion with each roll of the dice. Eventually, one child rolls a 5 and releases the now-grown Alan Parrish (whom everyone in town assumes was murdered). In order to put everything back the way it was and save their town from destruction, Alan finds Sarah and the foursome struggle to play the game through to completion, wreaking further havoc with each roll.
The film is superbly cast and well-acted. The story is engrossing and, occasionally, is touching and humorous. Viewers should be aware that this is a horror film. It is very frightening. It is fine for adults, teenagers and older children. For parents like myself who are familiar with the Chris Van Allsburg picture book of the same name, I must warn you that this film isn't really appropriate for the 4 - 8 year-olds that love the book.
21 The Good Old Days
In 1989 Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID initiated a significant renaissance of family films of both the animated and live action variety. There were actually quite a few live action family films produced up through the mid 90s that combined outrageous situations, sentimental plotting and good doses of visual mayhem to entertain most audiences. Some of these films such as HOME ALONE (1990), BEETHOVEN (1992), HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY (1993) and DENNIS THE MENACE (1993) were the staples of this renaissance. By the mid 90s the appeal of such films seemed to be waning. 1995's JUMANJI seemed to be one of the last of the films to gain recognition and prominence at least to the audiences that went to see it. Many of the noted critics at that time were not exactly enthralled with this film. I sat in the theatre thinking that this was one of the most innovative films to come along for some time. It not only contained those elements that characterized the aforementioned family films but also combined convincing digital effects, real drama, danger and concluded with an important message the parents and children should take the time to notice one another and not create impenetrable boundaries around themselves. A boy most grow into manhood before he understands that perhaps his father does not know how to approach him. JUMANJI is filled with action and many special effects that really are elements of the catharsis that Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) must endure before he can ever possibly go home again. Watching this film again recently I was touched by the scene where Robin Williams visits the old family shoe business to find the factory empty and closed down now a home for a transient who barely remembers the fate of Williams' dad. That scene counterbalanced with the score that James Horner had composed of the earlier New England setting was bittersweet. Watching that scene I also drifted back to the time when this film was first released. They really don't make films like this any more. Those were the good old days. And it's really not that long ago. For a while the studios were making intelligent films for the whole family that weren't afraid to make you feel for the characters as well as laugh with them. I have fond memories of JUMANJI.
22 Warning: This movie should have been rated PG-13
If you thought 3000 Miles to Graceland was a viloent movie, then I will have to guess that you have never seen Jumanji. But this movie got a PG rating if though there a lot of violence going on during this movie. This was based of a book and there is a game in this movie called Jumanji in which it has strict rules like Don't begin in less you intend to finish. And gives messages to the players like "in the jungle you must wait until the dice reads 5 or 8." The movie begins wiht a couple of kids or teenagers burying a box. And 100 years later the box is dug up by a boy named Alan (Adam Hann-Byrd). His parents decide to send him away to a school. But when Alan angrys his parents they leave slamming the door and his also packs his bags and also is out the door when a girl named Sarah (Laura Bell Bunty) who has come to Alan's house to return a bike that was wrecked by her boyfriend. Alan shows Sarah the game and before they know it they are playing the game and weird stuff comes out before Alan gets a message to wait inside the game until the dice reads 5 or 8. And Sarah runs screaming from the house. 26 years later, a woman (Bebe Neuwrith) and her neice Judy (Kristen Dunst) and nephew Peter (Beauty and the Beast's Bradley Pierce) move in the house and one day insteading of going to school Judy and Peter find Jumanji and play and without knowing releases Alan (Robin Williams) even though he was rumored to be dead.
23 Jumanji Excitement
Based on the children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, Jumanji stars Robin Williams as a man who escapes his confinement within a devilish board game, only to be followed by all kinds of exotic problems: elephants, lions, zebras, monkeys, floods, giant insects, killer plants, and a big-game hunter. The computer-generated effects all wreak havoc through quiet streets, and while most of this is pretty fun, relationship conflicts and character development are weak and forgettable. The high point, in comic terms, is probably David Alan Grier's hilarious performance as a cop catching the worst of these various plagues--one at a time.
24 Great movie!
Okay just because Robin Williams isn't funny doesn't mean this movie is bad. And just to notify you this is an "Action film" not a "Comedy". This story takes place in a small own in New Hamphshire in 19g9 where young Allan Parrish finds a board game called Jumanji. After getting sucked into the game in front of his friend Sarah he gets sucked into a mysterious land called Jumanji. In 1995 two kids move into a house where Allan Parrish once lived. The board game releases Lions, Glass Breaking Mosquitoes, A stampede of Ellephants, Rhinos and Zebras, Man eating Plants, Giant Spiders, Quick Sand and Monsoons. This movcie is amazing and a great action film. And for those of you thinking this is going to be a comedy think again.
25 One of Robin Williams' worst movies.
I'd say this is one of Williams' worst movies. He's not funny at all here, although the movie does have some mild humor here and there. Unlike his other movies, there is really no moral to story, meaning that the plot is ultimately pointless.
The movie begins in the 1860's when two kids bury some locked chest. Then, a boy discovers it on a construction site and pulls it out, discovering a board game inside called Jumanji. He gets a girl to play with him and he is sucked into the board, reappearing like 20 years later, saying and looking like he had been living in a jungle most of his life. Unfortunately, with him also came undesirable things from Jumanji, such as monkeys taking over the town, stampeding elephants, disease, spiders the size of basketballs, and the like. To end it all, they must finish the game, which means it's going to get worse before it gets better. They end up finishing it alive (barely) and then they are back in time as kids right before he got sucked into the board. So the two keep the secret to themselves since no one is aware anything happened and they'd never believe them anyway. They also get married. Awww, how cute. So they rid themselves of the damned game of course but stupidly just set it in a creek to float away, instead of burning it (duh!). So then in Japan or somewhere on the beach, two kids hear the African drumming coming out of the board ahead and they rush towards it in curiosity and delight at their finding. Oh boy! Maybe this means there will be sequel! Then, we can learn where this game came from and how and why it does what it does.
26 The Perfect Adventure Film for Older Kids and Adults
When Alan Parrish finds an old board game in a construction site, he has no clue what awaits him. When he and friend Sarah Whittle start to play, he is pulled into the game and she is chased from the house by bats. Fast-forward 26 years to when brother and sister Peter and Judy Shepherd start to play. They free a now grown Alan from the game, but in the process release monkeys, mosquitoes, and a lion. They realize they must finish the game to make everything return to normal. Reuniting with the adult Sarah, they attempt to stay alive long enough to do just that.
This movie is a fantastic fantasy/action movie. It starts out well, and the suspense continues to build until the climax. At the same time, it's got some great one-liners and funny scenes to break the tension. The entire cast does well with the material, including all the special effects. The special effects show their age today and are a bit more stylized then realistic, but they serve the movie well.
A word of warning to parents. This is a very intense movie. Even though it was marketed as a family movie, many small kids will be frightened by it. Keeping that in mind, you might want to preview it before you show it to them.
This DVD is a perfect showcase for the movie. The picture is sharp, and the surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action. There is a commentary and two documentaries from the special effects team that give you insight into how they brought the animals in the film to life. If you're looking to purchase this film, this is the version to get.
Jumanji is an action movie that gets it right. It has the perfect mix of character and story supported by special effects. Pick it up today and be prepared to leave your world behind.
27 Fun but dark
The first time I saw this (on cable), I was very surprised. From all the commercials promoting the film, I thought it was for children. Possibly that's why it didn't do as well in the theaters as it could have done--once parents spread the word, it was hard to find an audience. This is NOT for children. It's too dark a story line and I was a bit creeped out by the spiders scene. Now, that said, I did enjoy the film but ... it was missing something but they couldn't put their finger on it.
28 FABULOUS!
Jumanji is an all-around fantastic movie. The plot is intriguing, and keeps you interested throughout the whole movie.
Bonnie Hunt plays "Sarah" and she is absolutely WONDERFUL. I LOVE this actress. Funny, witty, and charming, she carries out the role perfectly.
Robin Williams, what can I say? He's great!
Kirstin Dunst also shines!
A MUST SEE!
29 nice story, good cast, disgusting affects
except for the special affects, the movie was good. maybe it's cause i had justed watched how they made jurassic park, and all that stuff about gpi. but, these affects look really bad. i mean the monkeys in the kitchen don't even look half real. and if you watch closely, the police officer and the aunt are blasted away (you know, during the monsoon!) before the doors and the water come out. i mean, the movie is good, so is the story, and the cast is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! but the affects are terrible! no gpi at all!!!!!!!!!
30 Weird
Chris Van Allsburg's picture book "Jumanji" was a beautiful but very odd and erie story for older children and adults. I can say the same thing for this movie version, though I think it hardly holds up as well in film form. First off, parents take note: this is a sad and scary film. A boy gets sucked into a board game about the jungle and, unlike Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, is never able to return home. When some other children conjure him out of the game thirty years later, he is physically grown (played by Robin Williams), used to living rather like a savage, and bewildered and saddened that the world has moved on and he has lost his family and his entire youth. Really, this is scary stuff if your child is at all insecure. Furthermore, the game unleashes on the modern world a group of ferocious and destructive animals. The effects are good, and older viewers might enjoy seeing the animals smash up a town. There are a few laughs in this too, but as I say, this is really sort of a younger version of "Jurassic Park," and not appropriate for kids younger than 8. The plot is really pretty haphazard here, and I give it a thumbs down.
31 Better Than Average
I like "Jumanji". It has lots of laughs and lots of action. True, it lacks something that keeps it from being a classic. Maybe, as Maltin says, it doesn't have much to say. I could argue that it has something to say about perseverance and not letting others down, but it does seem to be more about punch lines, things coming through walls, floors, ceilings, etc., and special effects, than anything else. That isn't necessarily bad, though. Some movies should just be fun, and "Jumanji" does that pretty well. Yes, the premise is preposterous. A game where each space you land on has a rhyme that produces tangible (and violent) results. But it's no more preposterous than a boy who hears dead people ("Sixth Sense" for those who missed it). Bottom line: in my opinion this flick was a lot of fun. Not deep, but fun. It has all the laughs and action you could want. And my kids like it, too (no, it didn't scare them). Stay away if you want something dramatic or serious, but if you're looking for some fun and fast-paced entertainment, this could be just the ticket.
32 GOOD
this is a great movie to watch. there are some good laughs and scares for the family.
33 Disappointing Translation
When I first heard Jumanji was in production I was estatic. I went out and bought a new copy of the book -- a book I remembered from childhood. The book had a kind of mystical quality to it from a combination of the incredible illustrations and story. The movie retains little of this. The only mystical quality comes from the discovery of the game itself. The movie pays little attention to the origin of the game. Instead, the characters inadvertantly jump right into the game. This part of the movie, the part with all the visuals, is entertaining to watch but requires you to keep your mind at bay. The story is full of holes, mostly the fact that instead of rushing through the game, they stop and wait to see what happens after each turn (Why?). However, the CGI animation is excellent and some of the action is fun to watch. It is also above par for Robin Williams. But if you're considering getting this for your children, consider the book instead.
34 POOR ANIMATION...
I can never believe that an adult would like this crap!!! Robin Williams is a good actor and he did a good job in acting but... this movie is very poor and cheap!
The animation is extremely poor and any viewer eye could see how poor it is plus the story events are very childish!
Maybe the story is not that bad but the way it has been put together makes it no better than its poor animation.
I recommend this movie to little kids but absolutely NOT FOR ADULTS!
35 Great, fun, computerized special effects entertainment.
JUMANJI is one of the best computerized special effects movies out there. It's a Family Classic and based on the childrens' storybook JUMANJI. Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, and Kirsten Dunst are awesome.
JUMANJI is basically about a boy, Alan, and a girl, Sarah, who start playing this mysterious, enchanting old board game Alan found at a construction site during the late 60s. When Alan rolls the dice, he gets sucked into the board game's jungle and has to stay there until somebody rolls a five or an eight. The girl Sarah gets chased away by a bunch of bats who appeared when she rolled the dice.
Now, twenty-six years late, another boy, Peter (Bradley Pierce), and his sister, Judy (Kirsten Dunst), move into the same house that the boy Alan Parish lived in. They find the board game one morning in the house and begin to play it. To make all the animals and jungle plants go away, they have to finish the board game. At one point, Peter rolls the dice and out pops Alan Parish - who is all grown up (Robin Williams), as well as a lion! In order to continue the game, the three go out on a "search" to find Sarah, who is too grown up (Bonnie Hunt). Everytime they roll the dice something bad happens to them: There's once a stampeed, a monsoon (the monsoon is my favorite sceen), and even a hunter who tries to kill Alan!
This movie is hilarious as well as charming and heartwarming. It is a divine film and a great movie for all ages. It's full of adventure and action, too. And even some romance. It has something for everybody. The acting is flawless, too. JUMANJI is definitely a must own to your Family Classics collection!
36 Great Escapist Entertainment
This is a great movie. It has suspense, mystery, action, comedy, and drama. Everyone in the family (over 5) will be able to identify with at least one of the characters. Possibly a bit violent for the little ones, because of the bad guy stalking character - real nightmare material there. The special effects are good ... and very realistic.
37 *Jumanji....a kind of movie u can watch many times over*
"Jumanji" is a classic movie that any1 could watch over and over again. It is full of eye catching surprises, horrifying phenomenon, excitement and is all just one great laugh. It is funny to think you can get all this from a movie that is based on a game called "Jumanji". It is based on a little boy called "alan parish" who hears a sound, like a constant thumping, in a construction site near wehre he lives. The sound comes from the board game Jumanji, and alan finds it buried in a wall of dirt in the construction site. He gets his friend "sarah" to play the game with him until he is lost in the game for quite sometime. Eventually newcomers come to the parish estate, and the game is found again, alan is brought back into the movie. After Alan and his new friends locate Sarah, they must finish the game to end all the happenings that come out of the game. They must fight of monkeys, lions and all kinds of phenomenon that come out of the game. This is a movie full of excitement, and is a guaranteed watch by any1 interested.
38 Anything that can knock stuff around rocks
My friend has this DVD and he turned it up really loud for the stampede. His Surround Sound knocked a picture off the wall. It is a great DVD with picture perfect sound even at those volumes. Sharp as a tack some might say.
39 The uses of enchantment
"Jumanji" is one show that Robin Williams doesn't steal from the other characters. He carries his own weight, but so do the rest of the cast. Not a weak character in this bunch.
The writing is creative, imaginative and compelling. The effects range from great (stampede, vines) to weak (spiders, monkey faces), but they don't get in the way of an engaging, fast-paced, even provocative movie.
The psychology may seem pop Freudian to some, but it serves the overall illusion created by the movie. I suspect that on a psychological level, "Jumanji" functions to let kids deal with the anger and estrangement they feel with their fathers (a la Bruno Bettelheim's "The Uses of Enchantment").
Carl, the African American shoe designer/police officer, provides some of the funniest material; unfortunately it smacks of an earlier cinema tradition in which the black faces were always the victims of gags that exploited their supposed fears or ignorance.
Over all, though, my daughter (7) and son (4) find it compelling and exciting -- and my wife and I find ourselves watching it again with them every time they put it in.
40 A waste of resources
Chris Van Allsburg's brisk, haunting storybook is turned into yet another Robin Williams vehicle about getting in touch with your feelings. Williams stars as Alan, a guy trapped for 26 years in the magical board game Jumanji. When orphans Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce find the game and roll the dice, they release Alan as well as various marauding beasts that flatten the sleepy suburbs. The movie gives Alan a cold father who comes back to haunt him in the form of a psychotic game hunter (both are played by Jonathan Hyde). The hunter, one can't help noticing, has a big gun. Freudians should have a field day with the movie: It's crammed with phallic/vaginal threats, plus constant images of cathartic violation. The animals, demolishing suburban propriety, are primal therapists.
Bonnie Hunt turns up as Alan's now-grown-up childhood sweetheart, who must spell out the movie's subtext: The stampeding beasts, and Jumanji itself, are manifestations of Alan's repressed anger at Dad. Why spend $65 million and thousands of hours sweating over computers to make a banal fable about the hazards of bottling up your anger? The animals do put on a show, but some of them -- particularly the lion and the monkeys, the ones with the most articulation in their features -- look jerky and plasticized. In format, "Jumanji" is a mild retread of "Jurassic Park" (the director, Joe Johnston, is supposed to direct the third "JP"), complete with the nuclear family of the guy, the woman, and the two parentless kids who all come together while fighting or fleeing from computer-generated critters. It was said to be too scary for kids, but the scariest thing about it is that it took three guys to write a screenplay this repetitive and psychologically glib.
41 Just fun
This movie has a great idea. And it's fun! Although it's rediculous, but I saw it 2 times. My complaint is that the trials seem to be more and more trite and unexciting. I love the first some surprises, such us bat, bug, and eat-flowers. But the tramples of the elephants, the shooter, the flood seems to be predictable. BTW, The ending of this movie is so bad, I dislike it so! A cliche!
42 A fine Robin Williams film
This is a film I enjoyed even though it made me recall some of the conflicts I had with MY father as I was growing up. I feel this is a good movie for saturday nights; a bit scarry but lots of fun. I'm not sure young kids would trust their board games again, but aside from that, I think it is fun for the whole family. Williams and the others of the cast are excellent and don't over play their roles. I certainly enjoyed it in the theater and continue to enjoy it as a video.
43 Welcome to the Jungle
Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst face bigger-than-life jungle dangers in the entertaining fantasy adventure "Jumanji". Young Alan Parrish finds a mysterious board game and is vanished to the mysterious jungle world of Jumanji. 26 years later, two unsuspected children (Kirsten Dunst & Bradley Pierce) freed the now adult Alan (Robin Williams) and unleash the wild beasts and fierce dangers of Jumanji upon their quiet town. Based on the best-selling children's book, "Jumanji" is an exciting fast-paced fantasy adventure for the whole family. Director Joe Johnston effectively combines elements of adventure, fantasy and humor for an enchanting movie spectacle. Its clever storyline and appealing characters are certainly amusing. The smash hit film contains some great special effects and thrilling moments but a few visual effects weren't quite polished. The cast also includes Bonnie Hunt, Bebe Neuwirth, Jonathan Hyde and David Alan Grier.
"Jumanji" Collector Edition is a vast improvement over the previous bare-bones edition. The smash hit is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains an impressive video transfer with great sharpness and nice detailed colors. Its clear 5.1 Dolby Digital sound delivers some dynamic surround effects. Among special features, this Collector Series DVD includes multiple behind-the-scenes and FX featurettes, an audio commentary with FX supervisor Ken Ralston, storyboards, theatrical trailers and some great animated menus. Overall, "Jumanji" Collector's Series DVD earns a "B+".
44 What was that all about?
Robin Williams' recent pictures tend to bore me to death but this one didn't. Somewhere along the movie there's a redneck gunnut playing... the Mexican National Anthem! How come? How weird!
(Besides, there's no mention of it in the credits. Should Mexico sue?)
45 Quite OK!
An average movie, the effects are a bit dated, but it is QUITE OK! The quality of this DVD is very good.
46 Jumanji
Movie is fine BUT DVD says Dolby 5.1 there is no rear channel information... May be great on VHS but not worth it for a good home theather setup.
47 Great Movie - Williams at his best.
Definitely a great movie worth the watching. The opening scene is a couple of 19th century boys who bury a box. They are obvioulsy scared - it's a dark night and they can hear wolves. Despite their fear, they agree they must bury it. One nearly panics as steady drumbeats begins from the board. They bury it when one boy asks the other, "But what if somebody finds it?"
There is a deadly pause before the reply: "Then God have mercy on his soul..."
1969, a small town. Alan Parrish discovers the board and invites his friend to play the game. Yet they unknowingly unleash powerful forces and Alan is sucked into the game "until the dice read five or eight". His friend is chased screaming out of the house by bats.
1995 - Two young kids discover the board in their new home and begin playing, bringing about the arrival of giant mosquitoes and a lion, and bringing Alan back. Yet there is no way out of the game except to finish it. During the course of the movie, everything from stampeding rhinos, to floods, to a crazed hunter with a machine gun appear all attempting to kill the players.
They succeed in ending the game and the board is eventually sent downriver, till it enters the sea. There is a quick epilogue of the characters and how their lives end.
The closing scene is the best. The board is lying on a beach. Two out-of-focus characters are seen as the drumbeats begins. One of them says "Qu'est-ce que c'est ce bruit?" The writing underneath translates - "What's that noise?"
The movie incorporates the best parts of movies to create a really good movie - comedy, drama and plenty of thriller/action with lots of good acting AND special effects. Worthwhile seeing, but not really worth buying in my opinion. It lacks something I can't quite put my finger on...
One thing I can say for it - the sound effects for the movie are really really good in a house of horrors (trust me, I tried it!)
48 Wild animals are not pets
A little boy and his friend discover a board game that brings the wild jungle right in his house and takes him prisoner. So many years later, another boy and girl (who move into the boy's house) release him from the game and have to finish the original in order to send all the jungle creatures back from wence they came. Excellent special effects keep this entertaining amid William's usual emmotional style of humor that gets tiring after 2 or 3 viewings of MRS. DOUBTFIRE. Suspenseful and action packed with chills if you watch in the theatre. Grier is funny as the cop and Byrd is pre H20.
49 My Son's FAvorite
I did not see this movie in the theatre, but we rented it last year on video and really enjoyed it. Surprisingly, however, my 5-year-old son was wild about it! I had heard it was too scary for young kids, but he loved it. In fact, it has become one of his all time favorite movies, and we have rented it so many times (at his request) that we're going to buy the video for him for Christmas. The special effects in this movie are great, and (unlike the professional reviewers), I think the character development is fine. I think reviewers forget that sometimes people watch movies just for entertainment and fun!
50 "Any last words?" . . . "Jumanji!"
The movie "Jumanji" is one of the best action/adventure movies you can find on the market. It takes place in a small town in New Hampshire. Alan Parrish is a boy growing up in 1969. His father is cold towards him, his classmates bully him . . . he tries to please his father and always seems to fail. Stumbling onto a digging site where a construction crew is building, he comes across a buried chest. Inside he finds a . . . board game? Yes, a board game! Called "Jumanji", it looks interesting, and he takes it home. Later, Alan and his neighbor Sarah begin to play the game. But when Sarah rolls the dice, words appear in the middle of the board . . . "At night they fly, you better run, these winged things are not much fun." Alan then drops the dice in alarm, and sees on the board "In the jungle you must wait, until the dice read five or eight." After Alan disappears into the board before Sarah's eyes, she is chased out of the house by a mob of bats that appear in the chimney. ---------- Fast-forward to 26 years later, when a woman and her niece and nephew (Judy and Peter) move into the house where Alan used to live. The two kids find the game and begin to play. They find out too late that once you start, you can't stop. The only way to make everything that seems to be coming from the game (like mosquitos and a lion) disappear is to finish the game, with the person who rolls the winning number to end yelling out "Jumanji!" ---------- This movie does not try to "Wow" you with special effects (although the special effects are good). Instead, the acting takes precedent. The younger actors and actresses (who play Judy, Peter, and a young Alan and Sarah) are really good. Bonnie Hunt, as Sarah 26 years later, is wonderful; as is Robin Williams as Alan Parrish. There IS an overlying message in this story (contrary to the viewpoints of other review-writers): Stand up to what you are afraid of. It's okay to be scared, but stand up to it. And unlike some adventure movies, there is enough comedy to keep things interesting ("Sarah and I would like to get OUT of the floor, so . . . "). With great music and a moving plot, this is a great movie. Any last comments? "Jumanji . . . "
51 "Any last words?" . . . "Jumanji!"
The movie "Jumanji" is one of the best action/adventure movies you can find on the market. It takes place in a small town in New Hampshire. Alan Parrish is a boy growing up in 1969. His father is cold towards him, his classmates bully him . . . he tries to please his father and always seems to fail. Stumbling onto a digging site where a construction crew is building, he comes across a buried chest. Inside he finds a . . . board game? Yes, a board game! Called "Jumanji", it looks interesting, and he takes it home. Later, Alan and his neighbor Sarah begin to play the game. But when Sarah rolls the dice, words appear in the middle of the board . . . "At night they fly, you better run, these winged things are not much fun." Alan then drops the dice in alarm, and sees on the board "In the jungle you must wait, until the dice read five or eight." After Alan disappears into the board before Sarah's eyes, she is chased out of the house by a mob of bats that appear in the chimney. ---------- Fast-forward to 26 years later, when a woman and her niece and nephew (Judy and Peter) move into the house where Alan used to live. The two kids find the game and begin to play. They find out too late that once you start, you can't stop. The only way to make everything that seems to be coming from the game (like mosquitos and a lion) disappear is to finish the game, with the person who rolls the winning number to end yelling out "Jumanji!" ---------- This movie does not try to "Wow" you with special effects (although the special effects are good). Instead, the acting takes precedent. The younger actors and actresses (who play Judy, Peter, and a young Alan and Sarah) are really good. Bonnie Hunt, as Sarah 26 years later, is wonderful; as is Robin Williams as Alan Parrish. There IS an overlying message in this story (contrary to the viewpoints of other review-writers): Stand up to what you are afraid of. It's okay to be scared, but stand up to it. And unlike some adventure movies, there is enough comedy to keep things interesting ("Sarah and I would like to get OUT of the floor, so . . . "). With great music and a moving plot, this is a great movie. Any last comments? "Jumanji . . . "
52 Good work in making.
Whoever wrote the script and made the robots for this flick must of worked really hard at it to make this really good movie look excellent. If you are the type of person that enjoys a laugh/getting scared then this is your thing. Most of this movie was very far-fetched but it was very good of the writer to use and imagination for once.
Even just one bad thing is that you can kind of tell that the creatures are robots (like Mighty Joe Young which is pretty good)!!
53 The greatest movie of all time!
I loved this movie so much when I saw it in the theater, I went back to see it two more times. When it finally came out on video, I bought it and since then have watched it over 100 times. In my opinion, Jumanji is the greatest movie of all time.
54 this movie rocks
This was a great movie. Kirsten Dunst and Gregory Smith were great. Robin Williams played his part well, too. I give this movie 5 stars... All and All, this movie was the best
55 This is the greatest movie on the face of the planet!
The movie was a roller coaster of wild animals, exotic plants and terrifyingly real special effects. The story is of a man who gets trapped in side a mysterious board game for 26 years, and then, is released by two inquisitive children. The movie continues with heart pounding action scenes, and wonderful awe inspiring graphics, which won't end until the game is finished and the name JUMANJI is said!
56 i didnt like it much
take some advice from a 10 year old the movie wasnt that good and one part didnt make sence so dont get the movie
57 Great
This is a very exciting movie. When I first saw it I was on the edge of my seat. I unfortunately missed this movie in the cinema. I didn't even get round to seeing it o video until mid 1998. Great performances by Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt. Terrific music score by James Horner and spectacular special effects. You'll love this movie.
58 This is funny! Kind of strange too.
Well, some parts are. The part with the monkeys in the kitchen sort of was. So was the part when the water burst out of the door on the police guy and the aunt. It was okay, mostly. The lesson from it was never take home something strange. Don't be too curious. I didn't like Alan's curiousness, nor did I like the way he took it home. Still, I recommend it to people who like adventure.
59 This is funny! Kind of strange too.
Well, some parts are. The part with the monkeys in the kitchen sort of was. So was the part when the water burst out of the door on the police guy and the aunt. It was okay, mostly. The lesson from it was never take home something strange. Don't be too curious. Still, I recommend it to people who like adventure.
60 Not as good as the book, which was weird enough anyway
This terrifying film is not for children. The effects are fine, if you like this kind of thing. But really, the story is sad and unfair.
61 OK story, but the effects are atrocious
Plot is ok, in this surprisingly adult film. Not really for kids, far too serious and intense at certain points. Actors do a good job, but the producers should have pumped a little more cash into the special effects. And by the way, just what is the moral of this story????
62 Fun, Exciting, but not Realistic.
It's pretty cool, but not really believable
