Early Jumanji reactions praise action thrills & cast’s chemistry

December may officially be STAR WARS month at the movies, but JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE is going to try and steal away some of those audience members with its A-list ensemble cast and promises of an explosive action-comedy adventure. One thing that will help it achieve its goal is positive word of mouth, and that’s exactly what its already getting now that the movie’s social media embargo has officially been lifted. Journalists who have seen the movie are praising the movie’s loose vibe and blend of constant action and laughs, saying the foursome (Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan and Jack Black) work amazingly well together. Special props are being given to Black, with critics lauding his work as channeling a preppy, high school girl who is trapped in his body. I always said this was the role he was born to play.

Take a look at some of the reactions below.

Saw @jumanjimovie last night and it is A LOT of fun! @TheRock @karengillan @KevinHart4real and #JackBlack are chemistry gold. The body swapping stuff totally works, the action scenes are well done and it’s got a great BIG heart at the center of it. Highly recommend it. #Jumanji pic.twitter.com/OmXkc1I24o

— John Steven Rocha (@TheRochaSays) November 27, 2017

#Jumanji was a ton of fun. Great nods to the original. Jack Black steals it. @TheRock and @KevinHart4real need to keep working together.

And YO I love @karengillan!

— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) November 27, 2017

I can now say that the biggest surprise of the holiday season is #Jumanji. It's super entertaining & very funny w/ terrific cast chemistry (especially b/t @TheRock & @KevinHart4real). Video game fans will dig it even more. See it w/ the whole family pic.twitter.com/e6FOPwjsB5

— ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) November 27, 2017

The new #Jumanji is a ton of fun and succeeds by not trying to make a film even remotely similar to the original. It's vindicated of comparisons, while also giving a nice nod or two to Robin Williams. #WelcomeToTheJunket pic.twitter.com/EsPGoTAM0Z

— Corey Chichizola (@corey081590) November 27, 2017

Was expecting the worst but have to admit the new #JUMANJI movie is a lot of fun. I’d even say it is one of the best “video game movies” ever made, maybe under only King of Kong, Scott Pilgrim, Edge of Tomorrow & Wreck It Ralph (none of which are adaptations).

— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) November 27, 2017

Now that the social embargo for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is up, I will say that Jack Black's performance is perfection personified and deserves 12 Oscars. pic.twitter.com/4wu3Q4wYIB

— Rebecca Pahle (@RebeccaPahle) November 27, 2017

Saw #Jumanji! It's light on nostalgia (besides a handful of Easter eggs), but a lot of fun. The body swap stuff is SO good. Could watch Jack Black play a teenage girl stuck in Jack Black's body, or @TheRock newly discover his muscles, forever. #WelcomeToTheJungle pic.twitter.com/yRIoQsWASV

— Mike Rougeau (@RogueCheddar) November 27, 2017

got to see #Jumanji and it is fun as heck! @TheRock totally steals the show, but everyone gets a chance to shine.

— Zachary Ryan (@ZachariusD) November 27, 2017

Hey, about that new #Jumanji: It's fun! It's the kind of family-friendly outing that should help settle a lot of debates this holiday season. Jack Black is very, very funny, and I kinda love how they attempt to make it a true sequel to the original with some wonky engineering.

— Kate Erbland (@katerbland) November 27, 2017

JUMANJI always looked like a fun time at the movies, in my opinion. Many folks have been averse to it given it’s a sequel to the beloved 90s flick with Robin Williams, but there’s plenty of elements about it that can make for an exciting adventure-comedy. Though SEX TAPE was a drag, director Jake Kasdan has done some good work with BAD TEACHER and WALK HARD, and the trailers have got me chuckling once or twice. I’m glad to hear that some critics are already liking it, even though I’m sure there are some flaws. The movie doesn’t come out for almost a month, so clearly Sony is confident in their product. Confidence is key, as they say. Who said that? I have no clue. Maybe an overweight middle-aged man who was able to find happiness despite believing he was really a 17-year-old girl.

JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE hits theaters December 20.