Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Four students stuck in detention stumble on an old video game cartridge called Jumanji and decide to play, only to be transported into the game's jungle world. Their real bodies are left behind as they wake up in bodies that match exaggerated video game avatars, with new strengths and unusual weaknesses. Facing wild animals, environmental hazards and a series of escalating challenges, they have to cooperate and learn to use their avatars' skills while keeping each other's secrets. The tone mixes broad comedy with action set pieces, and the group races to finish the game so they won’t remain trapped inside Jumanji forever.

Released in 2017, the film was directed by Jake Kasdan and reimagines the Jumanji concept with a video game twist, based on material credited to Jim Strain, Greg Taylor and Jonathan Hensleigh.

The movie was a major commercial success, reviving the Jumanji name for a modern audience and showing that a family-friendly action comedy could perform strongly across global markets without repeating the original film's exact storyline.

Moments of body-swap humor and physical comedy, particularly Jack Black playing a teenage girl's avatar, generated a wave of memes and social media buzz. The pairing of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart became a standout selling point, and the cast chemistry helped the film penetrate pop culture talk beyond typical blockbuster circles.

Critical response was broadly favorable to mixed, reflected by a vote average around 6.8 out of 10, with many reviewers enjoying the film's humor and set pieces while pointing out a familiar plot structure. The movie focuses on identity and role expectations, using its premise to get laughs from mismatched personas while also showing teamwork and personal growth in moments of genuine emotion.