Jumanji

Starring: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, & Kirsten Dunst

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Despite the fact that I am a huge Robin Williams fan, I had never seen Jumanji, it just never appealed to me, but even since Williams' untimely passing, I've been trying to view his entire filmography. I also wanted to catch the original film, before its reputation was irreparably damaged by next years re-make, featuring the Rock, Jack Black, and Kevin Hart. The film focuses on young Alan Parrish (Robin Williams), the son of a rich industrialist, who is always in the way. One day, he finds a weird board game, buried in a construction site, and decides to play with a friend, but this is no ordinary game, and Alan becomes trapped inside for decades. It isn't until two kids, moving into a new house discover the game and start to play it, that Alan is freed. Not wanting these kids, to face the same fate he did, they track down his old friend, and decide to finish the game and put the madness to an end. I think when Robin Williams played a child or a crazy person he was at his best. Those were the time when he could really just let go, be free, and be truly hilarious. As in most films like this, Williams is the film, the rest of the cast revolves around him, and without him, this is just another kids movie. Kids love these quirky, weird films, and parents hate being dragged to them, but Williams had a way of making both sides happy and making them both want to see it, that's what Jumanji was. For all intense and purposes this is a kids movie, with Williams acting like a big kid, but making adult jokes, innuendoes, and just being that guy who made him a legend.