REVIEW: Jumanji (Released in 1995) [25th Anniversary]

DIRECTOR: Joe Johnston

PRODUCERS: Scott Kroopf & William Teitler

WRITERS: Johnathan Hensleigh & Greg Taylor & Jim Strain & Chris Van Allsburg

PERFORMERS: Robin Williams Kirsten Dunst David Alan Grier Bonnie Hunt Johnathan Hyde

Bebe Neuwrith Bradley Pierce Adam Hann-Byrd Laura Bell Bundy Patricia Clarkson

There was a time when games were the hottest thing around, such as this was always the case in the 1990's when I was a kid. Then something like this comes along and unlike anything else you've ever seen, the rest as they say is history. Watching this film for the first time in so many years I remember just how big a part this played in my childhood: I first saw it on Junior High school and I watched it relentlessly even when it aired on TV. Talk about the kinds of games that never get old when playing it right?

Jumanji is a film based on a book written by Chris Van Allsburg about a supernatural board game with immense power to unleash a host of dangers with every roll of the dice, not your typical type of game you want to play with your family at the family dinner. And here's the thing: In Jumanji you don't just play for fun, you play with your life! Revolving around the themes of constant fear, fantasy, adventure, rediscovery and even redemption all these things play into affect and take us into quite a jungle of huge proportions. It's 'Back to the Future, Part II' (1989)' meets 'Jurassic Park (1993)' in a way because it takes place in two time periods and deadly animals are seen as the main threats. Seeing the main character emerge from a young man into a grown man is always great, but if you're somebody like Alan Parrish (the main character) growing up can be scary and it takes a series of dangerous circumstances to become the person you're destined to be.

Since his death in 2014 it's been virtually impossible for me to watch anything with Robin Williams in it, but when revisiting this one for it's 25th year every minute was a trip back in time when things were more simpler and less like today's times. But his character's story arc was what made the film work, especially his presence. Basically his story is he's fearful, self preserved and closed off from the present surroundings as they scare him, then he begins a game and goes away for a number of years. Then he returns after being gone for a long time (one can only imagine what went on in that board game during his time in it) like the Lost Son in the book of Luke (see Chapter 15 verses 11-24), but his arrival is met with confusion and disastrous changes to his hometown and with the help of an old friend (BONNIE HUNT) and two orphans (KIRSTEN DUNST & BRADLEY PIERCE) sets out to finish what he began. Williams made you laugh, sometimes even cry and the last time that happened for me was when I was watching another staple film of his called 'Hook (1991)' with my niece when visiting in Bakersfield some years ago. At the end of the film I found myself tearing up all over because I was still in distraught over his death at the time. When it came to Williams this was one of my top picks because I grew up on it, who knew he could hold his own in a film like this where you saw him swinging on vines or wrestling crocodiles etc. Just things of that nature? For everyone else they all did well, but as far as supporting or side players go, Johnathan Hyde takes the cake for this one. I remember seeing him in this film thinking 'oh it's the butler from Richie Rich, I didn't know he could do something like this'. For the hunter part... I still sometimes wonder how that part would have turned out if Alan Rickman (while he was alive) were playing it, but that's just how I felt about it. Still, great performance on his part nonetheless.

Let's talk about the director Joe Johnston, since his directorial debut with the classic Disney adventure 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)' Johnston has proven time and time again that anyone can go from a small known crew member to the headmaster in charge with the right project and with the right understanding and knowledge of special and visual effects. Not only was he the right man for the job, he was the only man for it. His savviness of that department was what solidified that, from being an art director and VFX supervisor it's easy to see how well he knows these things. In fact, this is my second most liked film of his next to 'Honey' which would be my first. If there's one thing that made the films for me, it's the music and the man behind them: the late James Horner. In 'Honey' it was very daunting and eerie like when it needed to be but in this it's the feeling of jungle like sounds and the theme to back it up that made you feel like you were in it. I used playback the theme all the time and I never lost my love for it. That's just how powerful music can be, it moves you, tells what's going on in a character's mind and elevates the story from A to Z. Whatever Johnston does next, I hope he does it better and well... and yes, I did see Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and I thought that was fantastic!!!

Since it's theatrical conception in 1995, Jumanji has become this otherworldly realm that everyone has grown to know and even love. Even in the years following Williams' untimely death, it became this franchise that produced two other sequels released in the last three years where a different conception of the premise is displayed... from within. But this is the one that started it all and clearly deserves the more ovation. When watching this again, I was thrilled, on my seat's edge and laughing out loud, like I were 12 years old again being back in Junior High as if it were my first time ever! That's what movies like this do to you, they take you back to a time when things were nothing like today and in the 90's almost anything you saw felt real, seemed real and looked real. Nothing was overdone with CGI, just practical and that's what made films like this worthwhile. Sadly, it was the last film Stephen L. Price would work on because he died in the same year. I thought I would never see this again because of what happened to Williams, but I was so glad that I did. In a way it was like overcoming my own fears, just like he did in this film. According to him, the title word meant "many changes", I could never figure that out so I'll probably never know what he was talking about. In many ways life is just like a game, every time we roll the dice we take a direction and go in it as many spaces as were granted to do so. This was a film in a game of itself, one that was worth playing again and worth seeing again and will be continued to be played by millions of players for years to come. Happy 25th Anniversary to Jumanji and here's to many more years of finding ways to leave our world behind!!! #filmreviews #anniversaryreview #jumanji25thanniversary #filmsof1995 #90smovies #J25

In Loving Memory of

Stephen L. Price

James Horner

and our beloved Robin Williams.