“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” is a 2017 adventure comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan, serving as a standalone sequel to the 1995 film “Jumanji.” The film follows four high school students who are transported into a video game version of Jumanji, taking on the forms of their game avatars, each with unique abilities and weaknesses. The students must complete the game’s quest in order to return to the real world.

The story begins in Brantford, New Hampshire, where four high school students—shy and nerdy Spencer Gilpin, former football star Anthony “Fridge” Johnson, self-absorbed social media enthusiast Bethany Walker, and introverted academic Martha Kaply—find themselves in detention for various infractions. They are assigned to clear out the school’s basement, where Spencer discovers a retro video game console with a cartridge of a game called Jumanji. Curious, Spencer sets up the console and invites the others to choose characters and join him in playing the game. As each student selects an avatar, they are suddenly sucked into the game and transported to a jungle within Jumanji.

Upon arrival, they quickly discover that they have transformed into their chosen game characters. Spencer is now the strong and charismatic archaeologist and explorer Dr. Smolder Bravestone; Fridge becomes the diminutive zoologist and weapons carrier Franklin “Mouse” Finbar; Martha is the athletic and fierce dance-fighting Ruby Roundhouse; and Bethany turns into the portly, middle-aged male cartographer Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon. Each avatar also comes with a set of strengths and three lives.

The group learns from Nigel Billingsley, an NPC (non-player character) guide, that the only way to return to the real world is to finish the game. Their mission is to restore a jewel, the “Jaguar’s Eye,” to a giant statue of a jaguar and call out “Jumanji” to lift the curse from the land. They also find out that if they lose all their lives in the game, they will die for real.

As the four tackle the game’s various challenges, they face a multitude of dangers, including wild animals, traps, and a group of motorcycle-riding villains led by the corrupt archaeologist Russel Van Pelt, who has control over Jumanji’s animals and seeks the Jaguar’s Eye to control their world. Throughout their adventure, the characters learn to utilize their unique skills and overcome their personal insecurities. Spencer and Fridge reconcile their past friendship issues, Martha becomes more confident and assertive, and Bethany learns the value of thinking about others rather than just herself.

The team encounters numerous obstacles, such as a stampede of rhinos and deadly puzzles, which test their wits and resolve. As they progress, they also lose some of their lives due to various missteps and attacks by Van Pelt’s forces. Each close call with death teaches them more about the importance of teamwork and strategic planning.

After several trials, the group makes their way to the Jaguar statue, only to be confronted by Van Pelt and his henchmen. A fierce battle ensues. Using their remaining lives wisely, they manage to fend off the attackers. Spencer, while performing daring feats as Bravestone, manages to place the Jaguar’s Eye back into the statue. Martha, as Ruby, helps him get past the guards, while Fridge and Bethany create distractions and deal with logistical challenges.

With the jewel finally in place, Spencer calls out “Jumanji.” The game ends, and the curse is lifted, causing Van Pelt and his forces to disintegrate into a mass of rats and restoring peace to the Jumanji world. The teenagers are then transported back to the real world, finding themselves once again in their school’s basement. They are relieved to be back but have been changed by their experiences in the game, gaining new perspectives on life and each other.

Realizing how much they’ve grown and what they’ve learned from each other, they decide to destroy the Jumanji game console to prevent anyone else from suffering through the same dangerous adventures. As they go their separate ways, their newfound confidence and friendships carry over into their real lives, showing that they’ve grown not only individually but also as a group.

“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” is a story of growth, adventure, and the realization that one can always choose who they want to be, both in a game and in real life.