derekdeksmith

I watched this with two grandchildren, both early teenagers, both practicing the jaded air that many profess. They actually rolled about laughing. So did I . It's a difficult trick to pull off, this appealing to three generations, but Jumanji managed it with ease.

The four main actors took their parts well, with Jack Black surprising me with his talent. Kevin Hart, not an actor I was familiar with, was very good. Karen Gillan was great as ever, and The Rock was The Rock, as always.

The script was quite clever in general, and the set pieces were well staged, although this is not a film you have to think about. It's just fun if not quite from the start, then it soon gets going.

Don't expect your life to change from watching the film, but you will come away with a smile on your face.

Watch it with kids. It'll add to your enjoyment.

To say it's more of the same sounds like a criticism, but it's not meant that way. The first was fun. So is the sequel. There are new characters, and characters is the word. Some new jokes, some subtle changes, but nothing to shock or bewilder. I watched both with grandchildren, and they screamed with excitement, and laughed with me. If I'd watched it alone, it'd have lost a star, but with teenagers beside me, it was a hoot. A predictable one, but still immense fun.

I so wanted to enjoy this film.

I did not expect the script to follow the book too closely, and variations do not bother me. The conclusion seemed a bit off the wall, but it is billed as a comedy. I laughed a couple of times, including the circus name-drop, but what comedy there was seemed a bit cheap. The four leads performed well, with Mirren, Kingsley and Imrie going at a stroll.

Brosnan not so much. As someone who's half Irish and English, I find his accent is normally spot on, whichever he picks. However, as an East Ender, his attempt at the patois was appalling. Oh for the days of Baker and Caine, when common was more common in casting.

Tennant was underused, but he was a bit over the top. Sheen is underrated. She was great. The fat, incompetent DCI was uninspired.

The script was light, suiting a comedy, but nothing special. And that goes for the film as a whole: nothing special. Shame.