Robin Williams fans are in for a treat as a sequel to his iconic 1995 comedy, Jumanji, is now streaming for free. Channel 4’s on demand service has just added Jumanji:Welcome to the Jungle to its library, ready for UK viewers to devour. The 2017 film is a direct follow-up to the nineties comedy, which starred the late actor alongside Kirsten Dunst, David Alan Grier, Bonnie Hunt, Jonathan Hyde and Bebe Neuwirth.
The original film follows two siblings who stumble upon a supernatural jungle-themed board game, with an unfortunate man trapped inside. In order to free the man forever, the kids must succesfully complete the game, which means braving various jungle creatures.
Robin, who tragically died in 2014, played the unfortunate man, named Alan Parrish. In its 2017 revival, the story centres around a group of high school students who discover a magical video game, and are drawn into its fictional jungle setting.
With each character playing the game as an adult avatar they chose, they can only escape by surviving the threats of the jungle and completing the adventure. This time, comedic actors Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson take the leading roles, alongside scottish actress Karen Gillian.
Upon its release, the comedy scored an impressive 77% Rotten Tomatoes critical rating, with audiences awarding it an 87% score. The critical consensus raves: “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material.”
Meanwhile, one audience review reads: “Underappreciated masterpiece,” with someone else gushing: “Literally one of the best comedies of all time! HILARIOUS.”
A third fan penned:”Hilarious, action-packed return to Jumanji! Filled with entertaining adventure! Actors did great and always make me laugh!
“Hats off to Jack Black! Watched the movie several times!
“Never get tired of watching it! Perfect watch for movie night if you’re craving something funny and adventurous.”
Yet another viewer shared a glowing review, stating: “As a long time fan of the original Jumanji film, it was a pleasant surprise to find out how good this one ended up being. Honouring the original, but putting a modern spin on it, and going inside Jumanji instead of taking it to the real world, really gave the story a new perspective.”
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is streaming now on Chanel 4 on Demand.