ALSO SHOWING

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (12A)

★★★★★ IT HAS been two years since high school students Bethany (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), Martha (Morgan Turner) and Spencer (Alex Wolff ) were sucked into a Jumanji video game cartridge and played as larger-than-life avatars to secure their return to the real world.

In the time since, Bethany, Fridge and Martha have embraced college life, but Spencer feels disconnected in New York.

He returns home to spend time with his mother and crotchety grandfather Eddie (Danny DeVito).

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” grumbles Eddie. “It’s all downhill from here.”

Haunted by his grandparent’s gloomy summation, Spencer tinkers with the Jumanji cartridge and is once more transported back to the jungle.

Bethany encourages Fridge and Martha to rally to his aid, but before the teenagers can select their familiar avatars, Eddie and estranged pal Milo (Danny Glover) are sucked into the game in the guises of archaeologist Dr Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson, pictured) and scaredy-cat zoologist Franklin Finbar (Kevin Hart).

Jumanji: The Next Level searches for a spot where lightning might strike twice but the plot and pacing are haphazard and the agreeably fractious doubleact of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart loses its comic lustre on a second viewing. Contrary to the title, director Jake Kasdan’s second chapter is a disappointing step backwards.

STARDOG AND TURBOCAT (U)

★★★★★

IN 1969, Nasa scientist David

(voiced by director Ben

Smith) chooses his own dog

Buddy (Nick Frost), pictured, as the test subject for an experimental capsule powered by crystalline hyperlithium.

Shortly after the capsule leaves Earth’s orbit, there is a malfunction and Buddy drifts into the void, frozen by the effects of the purple power source.

Fifty years later, Buddy thaws out in the town of Glenfield, where homeless creatures are ruthlessly hunted by police officer Peck (Cory English).

“He locks them up in the pound and they are never seen again,” explains sardonic cat Felix (Luke Evans), who leads a double life as a caped crusader.

Buddy pleads with Felix to help him locate the missing capsule so he can be reunited with David.

The search leads to the Glenville Underground Animal Rights Division, run by liberated magician’s bunny, Cassidy (Gemma Arterton).

StarDog And TurboCat is a hit-and-miss computer-generated caper.