Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle takes the Jumanji experience in a new direction. Keep reading to find out if the movie is worth seeing, how it compares to the first movie, and if it is okay for the kids to see.

I am a big Jumanji fan so when I heard a new Jumanji movie was being made, I was excited but also a little worried. Remakes, sequels, and prequels seem to be all the rage these days and they often leave fans of the original movies feeling shorted. However, seeing the cast for this movie gave me hope that the new Jumanji would be worth seeing.

I attended an early screening of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle with my 14-year-old son and my 10-year-old daughter. I sometimes experience apprehension about what my children may see or hear when I take them to an early screening of a PG-13 movie. I can usually tell in advance if the movie will be appropriate, but sometimes I am wrong. I’d say it was a mix of both in the case of Jumanji. More on that a little later.

In Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the game has found a way to lure kids in the digital age by transforming itself into a video game. Four very different students are serving detention together and they begin to play the game. They soon find themselves transported to the exotic land of Jumanji where they are part of the game and even have a limited number of lives to play. The players find themselves fighting for their lives from the beginning. Along the way, they learn a lot about themselves, life, and each other.

I generally tell parents to know their kids when deciding if a movie is appropriate for their children. This time, I am still advising to know your kid, but I am also suggesting a minimum age of 10 years old to see this movie. There is a bit of profanity; more than I expected. There are a few uses of the s-word, as well as several uses of hell, a–, damn, and b-tch. There is also one misuse of Jesus’ name and God’s name is misused over a dozen times. Additionally, the anatomically correct word for the male genitalia is used more than once and is referenced with humor since a female character finds herself in a male character’s body. It is all done in a comedic way, but families who are not comfortable with the p-word might sit this one out. (Note: we use this word in our house, but I am not writing it here to keep my review out of the censor’s hands).

My family enjoyed this movie. We found it humorous, adventurous, and very much in the spirit of the original. Though the original is still my favorite Jumanji, this one did without the sadness of the first and I appreciated that. However, the level of inappropriate talk was disappointing. This movie could have been opened up to the entire family with a few word swaps and less sexual innuendo and questionable language.

Rating: Rated PG-13 for adventure action, suggestive content and some language.

Scene after the Credits: No.

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Disclaimer: I attended a media screening of this movie.