The gang is back again to save the world of Jumanji. “Jumanji: The Next Level” hit theaters Dec. 13. The movie combines genres of fantasy, action, and quite a bit of comedy. The movie earned $60.1 million domestically in its opening weekend, winning the box office in its opening weekend.

In the last movie, four high school students got sucked into a dangerous game known as Jumanji, fought through obstacles, and in the end, were happy to be out of the game and be back home. The game changed their lives drastically, but in the end, they decided to destroy the game so that no one else would go in, until Spencer (Alex Wolff)  decided to go back and keep the game. 

A few years later, the team departed, pursuing their own lives, but still keeping in touch. Spencer hates his life and decides to go back into the game so he can feel like the strong powerful character he was in the game. Martha, Fridge and Bethany discover that he went back, and they decide to go and save Spencer. But one problem occurs. Bethany didn’t get sucked in. Instead, Spencer’s grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito) and his old business partner Milo (Danny Glover) get sucked in. The movie shows their chaotic journey through the game while experiencing unique obstacles.

I thought the movie achieved its purpose in making things entertaining but also including important life lessons. It was everything I expected it to be and more.  The storyline was different than the last movie, and I liked the addition of new characters because it made the movie more interesting. I loved the storyline with Spencer’s grandfather Eddie and his unresolved conflict with his old business partner, Milo. As the adventure in the game unfolds, they both start to realize how much they mean to each other. The moments of reconciliation help change their attitudes and they realize what things matter to them most in life. 

In the end, they part ways while Milo makes a life changing decision and Eddie says goodbye by saying “Being your friend and partner was one of the best things I got to be.” This was one of the most sentimental and heart touching parts of the movie that I really enjoyed.

The movie also brought a huge amount of comedy to the screen. The funniest moments were when Eddie and Milo kept forgetting they were in a video game. Instead, they were distracted about how they felt so good to be in the body of a young person. I laughed so much that my stomach started to hurt. 

I think the movie has a great balance between comedy and serious scenes. This balance makes the movie easy to comprehend and enjoy. I also liked how the game was even harder because that called for some good action scenes, and the difficulty level of the game made everything so much more interesting; it really showed how the team was able to work together and persevere through difficult obstacles.

Overall, the movie was thrilling and pleasing. The message about the importance of friendship and family made the movie meaningful. The film’s values were right in the end. The humor showed how to look past a person’s physical limitations and appreciate friendship which was an important message the people needed to hear.