Jumanji 3 First Reactions: As Good Or Better Than The Last

The whole point of this franchise is that the game forces people to play and indirectly teaches each and every one of them a life lesson. Spencer, having learned to have more self-confidence, willingly goes back to the game. Bad (writing) idea. His friends Martha and Fridge go to get him. Madison goes to recruit Alex. Yeah, the guy who spent 20 years trapped there doesn't even hesitate! Come on! Remember that she liked him and she got over it a little too fast to be believable? Here, there are opportunities to show that crush again, but it's not even alluded. At least not on purpose. You see, she goes to his house in the middle of the night and he lets her in. Doesn't Alex's wife have any questions? How does Alex explain how he and Madison know each other? When they both enter the game, Madison arrives as the aforementioned horse avatar... and Alex rides her. The 4 of them have to go through another adventure, even though they don't have to learn anything, so I'm not sure why the game is allowing them to play. Eddie & Milo (2 old men who get dragged into the game with our protagonists) find the time to talk about their issues while walking, driving and riding animals. They even stop at one point to have a confrontation. So... how come nobody has a proper talk with Spencer about his decision until the climax? When that finally happens, a straightforward conversation with Martha is all it takes to open his eyes. Unlike JUMANJI PARTS 1 & 2, this feels like it could've easily happened in the real world without any supernatural intervention. When they leave the game, his friends don't seem to be mad at Spencer, even though they're entitled to. Why don't they destroy the game to make sure this doesn't happen again? Whenever a sequel repeats a joke, it can be accepted if it's treated like a running gag in a TV show, i.e. applying it to a different context in each episode in order to feel fresh. That's what happens to most of the jokes here, except for the fight scene with Big Mountain's cover of BABY, I LOVE YOUR WAY. That one feels like it's exactly the same scene, so it comes off as lazy.