On paper, the 1995 fantasy adventure film Jumanji sounded like a project that was doomed to fail. Between its oddly adult themes, ambitious practical effects, and surprisingly dense fantasy mythology, Jumanji was a mishmash of seemingly conflicting ideas that could have been a complete disaster.

However, the solid direction from veteran special effects supervisor Joe Johnston and brilliant comedic performance from the late great Robin Williams turned the enchanted board game story into a modern family classic that has even spawned its own franchise.

Although Jumanji’s visual wizardry made it a technical gamechanger, the film succeeded due to the strong performances from its cast. Though it’s hard to imagine anyone but Kirsten Dunst in the lead role, Scarlett Johansson nearly earned one of her first roles in Jumanji.

After a few rounds of the Jumanji game, Judy and Peter accidentally release a gang of mosquitos and ravenous monkeys into the world. However, they also free Alan Parrish Williams, a man who has been trapped in the game since he was a child.