"Jumanji: The Next Level" is the Best in the Series

The third time's the charm. The Rock and company are back in the jungle (and the desert and mountains) in a new adventure that easily tops 2017's nearly billion dollar-grossing trip to the video game world of Jumanji. Hoping for lightning to strike twice, the whole gang returns in this sequel that once again pits them against a Star Wars flick in a quest for big profits. While Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle debuted after The Last Jedi two years ago, this time around Jumanji: The Next Level is up to bat a full week prior to The Rise of Skywalker's release.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Although Fridge destroyed the titular dimension-teleporting console with a bowling ball at the end of the last movie, a year later, a depressed Spencer assembles the pieces and heads back inside the game in an attempt to regain his mojo. However, when Spence is unpleasantly surprised by Jumanji's new features and finds himself trapped, his friends -- Fridge, Martha and Bethany -- throw caution to the wind and hop back into their avatars in order to rescue their amigo. Except that not only are the mission locations different but so are the characters -- Dr. Bravestone, Mouse, Shelly and Ruby Roundhouse -- that they inhabit. Also along for the ride are Spencer's grandfather Eddie and Eddie's former best friend Milo. Once again faced with the challenge to beat impossible odds with only two lives to spare apiece, the group must work together in order to make it back to the real world.

Set at Christmas, The Next Level is sort of like an Indiana Jones holiday special (except much better than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and is superior to Welcome to the Jungle -- not to mention the original Jumanji -- in every way: the action is more exciting, the animals are meaner, the jokes are funnier and there are three times as many exotic but dangerous locales. Aside from the action, the flick also delivers some pretty decent messages about friendship and growing older.

The Next Level isn't deep but if you're looking for an adventure-comedy with a Christmas chaser that doesn't ask you to think too much then you could do a lot worse than Jumanji 3.