The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is a live-action adaptation of Disney's famous animated film, The Jungle Book(1967). It is also based on Rudyard Kipling's novel of the same name. Mowgli(Neel Sethi) has lived in the jungle, for as long as he can remember. In the jungle, he is raised by a pack of wolves, led by Akela(Giancarlo Esposito). A wolf named Raksha(Lupita Nyong'o), is the only mother he has ever known. He has an ally & a friend, in a panther named Bagheera(Ben Kingsley). When the treacherous tiger Shere Khan(Idris Elba), opposes to Mowgli staying in the jungle, Bagheera has to return the man-cub to the man village. While on their journey, Mowgli & Bagheera receive help from a grizzly bear, named Baloo(Bill Murray). Now, it is up to Bagheera & Baloo to take Mowgli to the man village, safe & sound.

The Jungle Book is a mind blowing film. It is the most gorgeous movie, I have ever seen. What's extremely fascinating is that, the whole environment in the film is CGI. The animals are also CGI & yet, they look extremely lifelike. The forest the movie is set in, looks breathtaking. Director Jon Favreau & the rest of the crew, have maintained the soul of the 1967 animated movie of the same name. Kudos to the visual effects team, for making a live-action adaptation of a movie like The Jungle Book. Don't worry. This film is not a carbon copy of the Disney animated original. Favreau adds many new elements to the film, that will keep you guessing right till the end. The set pieces of the movie, are its highlight. The 3D provides immersion & there are quite a few scenes, that will make you duck in your seats. The casting is flawless. Newcomer Neel Sethi is outstanding as Mowgli. Sethi doesn't just play Mowgli, he embodies the character. Bill Murray is hilarious & adorable as Baloo. Murray & Sethi's rendition of The Bare Necessities, is as good as the 1967 version of the same song. Ben Kingsley is awesome as Bagheera. Idris Elba is spectacular as Shere Khan. Elba's voice-over of the predatory antagonist, is menacing & flawless. Lupita Nyong'o is amazing as Raksha. Nyong'o gives an emotional & layered performance, as the voice of Mowgli's adoptive mother. Scarlett Johansson is excellent as Kaa. I liked Johansson's version of Kaa, much better than the '67 incarnation of the sneaky snake. Giancarlo Esposito is great as Akela. Christopher Walken is superb as King Louie. The Jungle Book is a must watch on the big screen, with your entire family. Go, relive this timeless tale.

The 1967 animated film to me is still one of Disney's best of the "classic era". This is not just nostalgia talking, quite a few childhood favourites have not held up, but 'The Jungle Book' is an example of one that has.

Expectations were mixed for seeing this film. The trailer looked great, the voice cast is filled with enormous talent and the featurette was fascinating. It was just that, relating it to the other Disney live action adaptations, whether it was going to be one example of a re-boot that looked stunning, was well-written and performed, respected its original source material(s) and added its fresh spin, like 'Cinderella, or a well-made film with enough other decent elements to make it watchable but also one lacking in soul and charm, like 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Fortunately, 'The Jungle Book' is an even stronger example of the former, and is one of Jon Favreau's best films along with 'Iron Man'. Fans of the animation will love recognising the familiar characters and scenes and it was also really nice to see more of Rudyard Kipling's writing and story telling here, the ending being closer to that of the animated film. 'The Jungle Book' is wonderful on its own merits too, just like the Disney animated film was, which was a poor adaptation of the book but worked so well as a film on its own that it didn't matter.

Criticisms for the film are very few. The first criticism is that Kaa's scene and screen-time is far too short, a great character like Kaa deserves far more than a mere five minutes or so. And it is a shame because it is a very suspenseful and hypnotic scene with some of the film's most striking visuals, and the deceptively maternal story teller approach was beautifully written and delivered. Regrettably, the other criticism was "I Wanna Be Like You". While one of the highlights of the animated film, and one of Disney's most iconic moments, because the scene is darker and King Louie more intimidating (in size and manner), also because it comes out of nowhere, the light-hearted fun of the song that worked so brilliantly before just doesn't fit here (if Christopher Walken really did desperately want to sing the song, it didn't show in his singing because he sounded uninterested and hesitant).

On the other hand, the film looks amazing. The rich, expansive cinematography is some of the best of the year so far and the scenery and settings are so vividly detailed and colourful, that reading that it was shot entirely in a warehouse was a shock. The rendering of the animals are staggeringly realistic, especially Shere Khan, Bagheera and the monkeys. Favreau directs with a keen eye for detail and spectacle, yet doesn't forget the drama, cast or the storytelling once. John Debney's music score is full of energy, atmosphere, warm orchestration and vibrant emotion, its referencing of familiar themes feeling nostalgic and affectionate rather than cheap. As for the songs in the film, although "I Wanna Be Like You" was a disappointment "Bear Necessities" fitted right in and was as good-natured and easy-going as one can hope and "Trust in Me" is worth listening to if you stay for the closing credits, Scarlett Johansson with her low-register, smoky yet sensual tone does a surprisingly good job with the song.

'The Jungle Book's' script is very funny (Baloo getting the funniest lines, and some of them were hilarious) without being childish or simplistic while also easy to understand and thought-provoking, there is a good amount of depth too without being too dark or sugary sweet. The story moves quickly and is constantly enthralling, one thing it does better than the animated version is expanding on motivations and making characters more interesting (as great a villain as Shere Khan is in the animated film, his motivation to me seemed clearer here). The climax is dramatically satisfying and darkly tense.

A great job is done with the characters also. They're not complex, but they are likable and interesting, are very true in personality to their animated counterparts and all serve a point in the storytelling, some like Shere Khan and the wolves expanded upon. It was easy to identify with Mowgli, Baloo is a breath of fresh air and to me a great villain is one that one can totally see why the villain is hated or feared but one can also understand their point of view, which is the case with Shere Khan (this is true of the animated film too, but as Shere Khan has more of a back story here it came through stronger to me). The cast were a talented one to begin with and their talents absolutely shine through. Newcomer Neel Sethi does very credibly as Mowgli, it is incredibly hard to react against nothing and apart from a few naturally stiff moments to begin with he handles all the different emotional elements very well. The superbly chosen vocal cast are even better.

Bill Murray was born for Baloo (sounding far more engaged than as Garfield), his relaxed but witty voice-work matching the character's easy-going, good-natured personality. Idris Elba effectively puts dread into one's heart as Shere Khan, he's silky, regal, charismatic and genuinely menacing, though George Sanders brought over the suavity and oiliness more. Ben Kingsley is a stern yet sympathetic Bagheera, and Christopher Walken, in a characterisation that is like a mix of mobster boss, Colonel Kurtz and Walken's own mannerisms, makes King Louie intimidating but also entertaining. Scarlett Johansson's voice work for Kaa is eerily sensual, Giancarlo Esposito is a dignified Akeela and Lupita Nyong'o's Raksha is movingly compassionate.

In conclusion, a truly great film. Works very well as a live-action re-boot and works even more as a film in general. An epic visually stunning adventure, told with fun, heart and depth. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Nostalgia is a powerful thing, the original Jungle Books has been adored by many, be it the animation or movie interpretations. The new rendition takes the expectation and rises beyond with emotionally engaging and larger-than-life characters, which is no small feat considering it relies on sole child actor Neel Sethi while the rest of the veteran cast lend their voices for the animal kingdom.

Story follows Mowgli (Neel Sethi) on his two feet as he ventures around the thick jungle. He meets with near mythical allies and foes alike, while learning and accepting his unique nature. A lot rest on his small shoulders, and as Mowgli he performs remarkably well. He presents an innocent vibe even though the harsh jungle is demanding and sometimes merciless.

Visual is utterly impressive, these beasts look and move very naturally. There has been talking animals before, but the sway of their furs, the slight gestures different to each species and how the environment reacts to their motions are nothing less than exceptional. These subtle details give lives to characters from two dimensional then make them dreamlike lively.

The famous voices another layer of their personalities, from the protective Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, merry Bill Murray as Baloo to Idris Elba as fierce Shere Khan. Its sound effects and songs are symphony of the wild, it hits just the right tune with nostalgic effect and engaging soundtracks.

The new tale of one child and his fauna companions is brilliantly told by exhilarating graphic and harmonic concerto.

I've never been a fan of the original Jungle Book movie, but I did grow up watching it, and I did like it. This remake is (in my opinion) Disney's best remake so far.

The animation and the scenery is basically a new age in CGI. Not only are there CGI characters and creatures now, but locations too. The entire jungle looks absolutely real, yet it's not, and that's the great thing about it.

The characters themselves were pretty cool. I didn't care for Mowgli in the original movie, but this movie got me liking him. He's brave, not as bratty, and he's pretty inventive. Bagheera is as stern and careful as ever except that he's also got the action his book counterpart had had. And I like Baloo's character here, having a bit more of a self-serving trait his older counterparts never had but eventually becoming a nice guy. And that's the main characters. The wolves got more screen time, Kaa got a lot more dangerous (though she doesn't have as much screen time, which is my only complaint in this movie), King Louie is more sinister and less comical, and Shere Khan is a flat-out beast.

I'm also glad that they brought back three songs I enjoyed as a kid. I really liked Bare Necessities, and I've also started singing this version of I Wanna Be Like You. Trust In Me made me feel like Kaa was in a spy movie.

So on a scale from one to ten, I'd give it a perfect score: 10/10. It's an epic movie, and I highly recommend seeing this movie.

The Jungle Book, a live-action adaptation of the classic tale, presents a mixed cinematic experience. While the film's CGI-enhanced visuals and cinematography beautifully immerse the audience in the lush jungle setting, and young Neel Sethi's performance as Mowgli is commendable, the movie falters in delivering a truly captivating narrative. The attempt to bring the animals to life with realistic visuals, while technically impressive, leaves some emotional depth lacking, and the music, despite its memorable tunes from the animated classic, doesn't quite hit the same notes. Consequently, The Jungle Book receives a 6/10 rating from me, as it falls short of recapturing the magic of its source material and struggles to leave a lasting impression.