Jumanji

1995 Fantasy

Jumanji is a visually elaborate fantasy about an enchanted board game that opens a magical portal to a jungle universe. Two young children, Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter (Bradley Pierce), discover the game in an abandoned home and suddenly are greeted by Alan (Robin Williams), an adult who has spent his life trapped inside the game since playing it at age 12. Alan's only hope for freedom involves finishing the game, but this proves rather dangerous, as Judy, Peter, and Alan find themselves running for their lives from huge rhinoceroses, evil monkeys, vicious lions, and other terrifying jungle beasts. Director Joe Johnston, whose special-effects background previously came to good use in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, used groundbreaking computer imagery to simulate the thrills.

Director: Joe Johnston

Starring: Robin Williams,Bonnie Hunt,Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth

 24 Reviews  4 Awards

Reviews

  • Based on a popular children's book by Chris Van Allsburg and directed by that "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" guy Joe Johnston, Jumanji is a calculated but very entertaining special effects extravaganza.

    Mike Clark - USA Today

    26 April 2013

  • Regrettably, however, the weird elegance of Chris Van Allsburg's much-praised picture book has been all but lost in translation.

    - TV Guide

    26 April 2013

  • On a scene by scene basis, it is mostly great fun but suffers from a contrived script which repetitively drags characters back to the eponymous magical board game for another effect-producing throw of the dice.

    - Empire

    26 April 2013

  • Jumanji is cardboard Spielberg, a B-movie scrap heap of spare parts lifted from "Jurassic Park" and "Gremlins" and "Back to the Future".

    Owen Gleiberman - Entertainment Weekly

    26 April 2013

  • As a movie, it's far from compelling. As a thrill ride, though, it's a rampaging special effects and animatronics extravaganza that will make small children cringe behind their seats.

    Peter Stack - The San Francisco Chronicle

    26 April 2013

Awards

  • Best Special Effects

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (1996)

  • Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Feature Film

    Cinema Audio Society (1996)

     

  • Favorite Movie Actor

    Kids' Choice Awards (1996)

     

  • Best Family Feature - Action-Adventure

    Young Artist Awards (1996)

Lists

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