Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst and Bonnie Hunt star in this phenomenal adaptation of the award-winning children's book. When young Alan Parrish discovers a mysterious board game, he doesn't realize its unimaginable powers, until he is magically transported before the startled eyes of his friend, Sarah, into the untamed jungles of Jumanji! There he remains for 26 years until he is freed from the game's spell by two unsuspecting children. Now a grown man, Alan (Williams) reunites with Sarah (Hunt) and together with Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce) tries to outwit the game's powerful forces in this imaginative adventure that combines breathtaking special effects with an enchanting mixture of comedy, magic and thrills.

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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.

16 of 17 found the following review helpful:

STICK TO MONOPOLYApr 23, 2005
By Michael Butts
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.

15 of 17 found the following review helpful:

"Any last words?" . . . "Jumanji!"Oct 05, 1999

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 . . . "

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

Very GoodApr 05, 2005
By Media Lover
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.

6 of 6 found the following review helpful:

My Son's FAvoriteNov 29, 1999

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!

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