6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A team of friends return to Jumanji to rescue one of their own but discover that nothing is as they expect. The players need to brave parts unknown, from arid deserts to snowy mountains, in order to escape the world's most dangerous game.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, AwkwafinaAdventure | 100% |
Action | 89% |
Family | 48% |
Comedy | 23% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS:X
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In video game parlance, Jumanji: The Next Level feels more like tacked-on, money grabbing DLC (Downloadable Content) -- content made for an existing product -- rather than a true sequel. Sure the film comes with all of the bells and whistles of an A-list feature and even manages to find a way to make what's old new again, but it comes up short on story, favoring visual spectacle and humor above worthwhile narrative engagement. The movie meanders, quite a bit at times, and never feels at all compelling beyond its momentary laughs or splashes of spectacle.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Jumanji: The Next Level levels up on UHD with a rock-solid 2160p/HDR presentation. The HDR color spectrum proves its worth right away with
deeper, more resplendent orange tones illuminating the title screen against a perfectly rich
and true black background. The palette is sured up for the duration, with colors appearing with far more depth and the appearance of a general
downturn in brightness. The improvements to saturation, fullness, and tonal accuracy are most welcome, and the movie does not look dark in natural
playback, just in comparison with the Blu-ray. Colors find greater screen presence here, including bursting natural
greenery, desert browns, and snowy
whites, the latter of which are notably more crisp and bright, detailed and nuanced, which also extends to the safari-inspired attire that several
characters wear, made of various beiges, greens, and other earthy tones. Skin tones across the movie's diverse range of characters are pleasantly pure.
Sharpness and clarity improvements are also notable, but not quite as extensive and dramatic. Fine improvements to overall image clarity are obvious
and fine-point boosts to clothing and facial textures, environments, and the like are obvious over the Blu-ray, though this is talking degrees rather than
leaps. As with the Blu-ray, both practical and digital effects enjoy robust attention to detail, though it's certainly characters and clothes and near-frame
practical objects that are the most visually exciting. This is a nice looking UHD. It manages noise better than the Blu-ray and there are no obvious
source or encode frailties to report. Fans should be pleased.
Whereas the Blu-ray features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the Jumanji: The Next Level UHD earns a DTS:X audio presentation. In addition to all of the goodies the 5.1 track offers, the stage expansion both around and above deliver more uniquely engaging sonic signatures that allow the material to soar, literally. There are some fun overhead characteristics, particularly when characters fall out of the sky (Fridge's arrival as Professor Oberon in chapter three, for example, and after a mass death scene in chapter nine). Other top layer highlights include a plane passing overhead, also in chapter three, and several high energy moments with chaotic movement, such as the bridge scene, where the extra space more fully defines the frenzy. In addition, essential action elements enjoy robust pronouncement, including creature growls, explosions, and other thumps, thuds, and examples of sonic chaos. Music spreads wide and immerses deeply with balanced positioning and expert clarity. Dialogue is, of course, faultless in delivery.
Jumanji: The Next Level's UHD disc is featureless, but the bundled Blu-ray includes a gag reel and a bunch of featurettes, most of which are of
little substance. A
Movies Anywhere digital copy code is
included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover. Also included is a folded paper map with a QR code that "reveal(s) a hidden
world of Jumanji treasures."
Serviceable all the way but memorable at no point, Jumanji: The Next Level does just enough to keep audiences entertained but goes no further to build its characters or make its world worth visiting for a second watch. A little charm here, a good laugh there, and plenty of visual delights just can't hide a vapid and oftentimes meandering story that struggles to keep up with its characters and grow them all that much, particularly in the game world. The movie saves its best for the real-world bookends, which is fine, but there's little reason to bring the brain into the video game world. Sony's UHD is first-class, delivering high quality video and audio along with a smattering of extra goodies. Worth a look.
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