The mystical powers of a board game are unleashed upon an unsuspecting town in this enchanting comedy-adventure based on the classic childrens book. Special features: subitles in english sfx crew commentary production design featurette sfx featurette isolated music score and much more. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 12/21/2004 Starring: Robin Williams Jonathan Hyde Run time: 104 minutes Rating: Pg Director: Joe Johnston
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
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Sorry, Zathura; you just can't beat your maker.:
In a nutshell, the movie is about a predated, enchanted board game (as proven through the prologue where the previous players frantically dispatch of it almost a hundred years before our stories actually starts) placed into the hands of Alan Perish, a thirteen year old growing up in New England in 1969. At first, to Alan and his friend Sarah, it seems ordinary, but with a roll of the dice, things change to the very worst. The game play itself, including bats, monkeys, lions and other deadly elements... more info
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... more info
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... more info
Ana Luiza Mansour:
Lots of adventure and thrills... gripping till the end. Wonderful visual and sound effects.
