This 95 minute excursion lacks credibility and does not move at the pace that an adventure excursion must move at.

Let me start with a disclaimer – Family Pack (Loups-garous in French) is not the answer to the 1995 hit Jumanji starring the late Robin Williams. However, this is based on the card game The Werewolves of Millers Hollow created by Frenchmen Philippe de Pallier and Hervé Marley and the Russian game Mafia.

The rules of the game are simple – you have two sides. One side contains the evil werewolves and the other side, the townspeople. It is the duty of the townspeople to deduce who the evil werewolves are. Director François Uzan has the makings of an interesting game and fails to deliver.

The movie begins Jumanji style. You have a family consisting of father Jérôme (Franck Dubosc), mother Marie (Suzanne Clément), an aspiring social influencer daughter Clara (Lisa Do Couto Texeira), stepson Théo (Raphael Romand) and young daughter Louise (AlizéeCaugnies) at grandfather’s Gilbert. (Jean Reno) house.

Their boredom results in the children finding an ancient card game. Once the family starts it, they are transported to a French village in the 1490s. Armed with individual tasks and skills that include common sense and hunting skills, they must navigate the game and find the 4 werewolves or succumb to it.

For most of the outing, it looks like director Uzan is trying too hard without direction. Having a two-dimensional plan and one-dimensional vision does not help him. He can’t decide whether to make the outing comical or exciting and compromises with both. He doesn’t dwell on the original whodunit aspect of the game and instead decides to concentrate on the family members and their bonding.

Although he has chosen skills for each family well (Clara’s strength is invisibility even though she wants to be seen and known; Marie is a modern woman in an era where women generally had no or much less freedom), he fails to show what that brings the family together and survives. Jean Reno as the senile grandfather is as bankable as ever, as are Franck Dubosc and Suzanne Clément.

However, the film is not without its moments. There is a scene where Marie gives a rousing speech as she is tied to the stake to burn. She tells the female spectators that the future holds the promise of the right to divorce. There is also a scene where Théo’s powers as a thief allow him to change his identity, implying that he can identify himself (her/them) however he (she/them) wants.

This 95 minute excursion lacks credibility and does not move at the pace that an adventure excursion must move at.

Please don’t make the mistake of comparing this to Jumanji. It doesn’t even come close. Forget the level, it doesn’t belong in the same pyramid as Jumanji. This card/board game is best left undisturbed.