History YMMV / Jumanji

* AdaptationDisplacement: The movie is more well-known than the original book.

* MisaimedMarketing: It was marketed as a nice, comedic family film starring Creator/RobinWilliams, conveniently leaving out the [[NightmareFuel traumatizing things that pervade the movie.]] Creator/RogerEbert even criticized this, saying that more kids are now likely to see the movie not knowing that they're going to have the bejeezus scared out of them.

** Creator/RobinWilliams' character here has spent his whole life surviving in the jungle inside the game, without a toilet in sight; so when he finally sees one again after so long he's close to tears of joy for no longer resorting to "banana leaves". In 2006, his highly-urbanized character in ''{{Film/RV}}'' is impressed with resorting to fern leaves, "nature's broom", during his family's outdoor adventure. The fact that his character on that film [[spoiler:is probably just making an act and still hasn't experienced doing it out in the wild, and if such is the case then he doesn't really know what he's saying]] just adds to the humor. Also ironic because both movies were produced by Creator/SonyPictures.

*** The animated series suggests the latter is certainly possible, as whoever kills Van Pelt risks [[YouKillItYouBoughtIt taking his place]].
*** Given his single-mindedness in targeting Alan and only Alan since he's the one who rolled the dice, he might not be a person in any meaningful sense; he could just be a construct created by the game with as much free will as a videogame enemy. This is given more credibility by the fact that he resembles Alan's father, making it possible that whomever Van Pelt's human quarry is, he will always be made by the game to resemble whomever that person has the most psychological damage in relation to.
*** Van Pelt is also on the box itself, depicted alongside an elephant, a monkey, and a rhino, the other "signature" threats of the game, implying that the Hunter is generated by the game itself just like the other threats.

*** Considering this happens a few times with Van Pelt as well as the animals, even the puppets, this could have been done on purpose to indicate that they aren't real and don't belong in our world. It's worth noting that when Jumanji is declared, Van Pelt begins to dissolve into a sand-like substance as he's pulled back into the game.

** Several times throughout the film, the game pieces will not be on their proper lanes. A prime example is when Alan opens the game for Sarah to see after they have reunited in the present, and you'll see, clear as day, that two pieces are on the same lane. Similarly, the dice rolls do not coincide with where the game pieces should be on the game board. In fact, the game ends too early considering that a lot of the dice rolls are low and the rolls that aren't seen wouldn't be enough to make up the difference even if they rolled an eleven.[[note]]Rolling a twelve would be impossible since no one gets doubles after Peter's first roll.[[/note]]
*** The Blu-ray release of Jumanji features a gag reel. At one point, Robin Williams rolls the dice, removes a playing piece from its spot, and places it somewhere else before telling a joke. So the game pieces jumping around has been solved: Robin Williams thought it was funny to mess with them and nobody bothered to put them back!

*** The stampede goes from one side of the house to the other without damaging the front door, but that does not stop the house from flooding even though there are two gaping holes at either end. Unless the foliage grew in-between the stampede and the players' return to the house sealed the holes. [[RuleOfCool We've certainly seen Jumanji do stranger things.]]

* TheWoobie: Almost everyone, to a degree. Alan because he was sucked into the game; Sarah because she was called crazy for twenty-six years and spent 2000 hours in therapy; Judy and Peter because they lost their parents ''plus'' had to deal with the game, which [[spoiler: nearly killed the former via poisonous plant barb and turned the latter into a monkey.]] Aunt Nora because heck, there's a lion in her bedroom and she's trying to do her best by two troubled kids while likely dealing with her own grief over their parents' deaths. Carl because well, [[CosmicPlaything the entire setting hates him.]] Kind of unavoidable, since the premise is EverythingTryingToKillYou.

** About Van Pelt. Is he perhaps a [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who hunts human beings just for pure sadism, or maybe he's a NobleDemon who just follows the game's rules and could also be redeemable if he had the chance? There's also another, infinitely more horrifying interpretation. What if Van Pelt was just another poor soul trapped in Jumanji like Alan was, but was either ''never'' rescued or was killed before finishing the game, leading to him becoming [[WasOnceAMan twisted into part of the game itself]]?

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Carl and Nora for the most part stay as bystanders to the whole Jumanji fiasco despite their connections to the main cast. They could have been there to help out during the final rolls at the Parrish house, but Carl never returned after being swept away during the monsoon roll, and despite Nora returning, Peter ends up locking her in the closet for her own safety.

** New Year's Eve 2020 saw survivors of the first months of the UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic exclaim, "Jumanji!" at midnight.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Young Sara is portrayed by future Broadway star and country singer Laura Bell Bundy.

** New Year's Eve 2020 saw survivors of the UsefulNotes/Covid19Pandemic exclaim, "Jumanji!" at midnight.