Wednesday, January 1, 2020

665. Jumanji: The Next Level (02)

Title: Jumaji: The Next Level (02)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Year: 2019

Summary: In 2019, three years after their adventure in Jumanji, Spencer Gilpin, Anthony "Fridge" Johnson, Martha Kaply, and Bethany Walker lead improved lives. While the group decide to hold a reunion brunch in Brantford that year, Spencer is apprehensive about the meeting. On his first night back, he begins to contemplate returning to Jumanji where he had purpose, having held onto the broken video-game system. The following day, his friends visit his home, meeting with Spencer's grandfather Eddie, who is recovering from hip surgery, and Eddie's former friend Milo Walker, who is visiting for an unknown reason. Learning that they have no idea where Spencer is, the group search the house, and find the Jumanji game repaired in the basement. Realising Spencer returned to the game, his friends decide to follow him.
The game malfunctions when starting up, sucking in only Fridge and Martha, along with Eddie and Milo, forcing Bethany to contact fellow Jumanji player Alex Vreeke for help. Inside the game, Martha finds herself as her avatar Ruby Roundhouse, yet Fridge becomes Bethany's avatar Professor Sheldon Oberon, while Eddie and Milo become avatars Dr. Xander Bravestone and Franklin Finbar respectively. After instructing Eddie and Milo on the game's rules, the group encounter non-player character Nigel Billingsley, the game's guide, who reveals that since its last use, Jumanji is suffering from a massive drought. To leave the game, Nigel reveals that the group must recover the Falcon's Heart - a magical necklace stolen by warlord Jurgen the Brutal, which can end the drought when brought before sunlight and shouting "Jumanji".
Transported to a desert called the Dunes to track down Jurgen, the group eventually find Spencer operating as a new avatar called Ming Fleetfoot, a skilled thief. Blaming himself for their predicament, Spencer aids them in their task. Attempting to escape the Dunes, the group face new challenges and problems, while collecting an in-game item called a Jumanji Berry, and discovering a pool of glowing green water that allows them to switch avatars. In the process, Eddie bickers with Milo, revealing their friendship ended when a diner they owned was sold behind Eddie's back, forcing him into retirement. After the group convince the pair to work together in escaping a troop of mandrills, they soon become reunited with Alex, as his avatar Jefferson McDonough, and Bethany, operating a new avatar called Cyclone - a black horse that can only be understood by Finbar.
Working together, the party find a river with the same green glowing water, allowing Spencer, Bethany, Fridge, and Martha to become their original avatars, while Eddie and Milo end up as Ming and Cyclone respectively. Shortly after changing characters, Jurgen captures the group with his mercenaries and brings them to his fortress. Escaping their confinement, Spencer pursues after Jurgen to his airship, while the others distract his men. Finding himself unable to best Jurgen, Spencer discovers he is weak to the Jumanji Berry, incapacitating him long enough to send him plummeting to his death. Discovering Cyclone has retractable wings, Milo and Eddie work together to rescue Spencer and bring the recovered Falcon's Heart to the sun, calling out "Jumanji", ending the drought.
Returning the necklace to Nigel for safekeeping, the group are surprised when Milo elects to stay behind and protect the land, revealing he was dying in the real world. Learning he sought to make up with his friend, Eddie reconciles with him before he departs as Cyclone. Upon returning to the real world, Spencer decides to teach his grandfather about video games, while Eddie uses what he learned in the game to convince the owner of his old diner to hire him on as a manager, with his grandson and his friends turning up to enjoy a meal together. In a mid-credits scene, the heating mechanic Spencer's mother hired finally shows up, only to be drawn to the game, while at the diner, Spencer and the others are surprised to witness a flock of ostriches rush past. 

 JumanjiTheNextLevelTeaserPoster.jpg

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