The Jungle Book (2016)

photo courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com

     Disney Studios’ latest endeavor is Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book, and what an endeavor it is. It comes as 2016’s entry in the studio’s recent series of films designed to re-envision some of Disney’s classic properties, most of which have been fairly well received. The Jungle Book stands out among them as an exceptional blend of technology, technique, and narrative promise. It’s a film that makes you feel like a kid again in the best way.

     The story is fairly similar to 1967’s The Jungle Book, though it deviates in some important ways. It follows young man-cub Mowgli (Neel Sethi), who is raised by a pack of wolves that make up part of an intricate jungle community. Meanwhile, fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba), is out for Mowgli’s blood. To escape him, Mowgli embarks on a sprawling journey with the help of friendly panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and loveable bear Baloo (Bill Murray). Together, they encounter more than their fair share of obstacles, enemies, and adventure.

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     There are so many things to praise about The Jungle Book. The first and perhaps most important thing I’ll mention is its stellar cast. Young Neel Sethi truly distinguishes himself as Mowgli; his performance lends heart and humor to the movie’s main character. Ben Kingsley and Bill Murray as Bagheera and Baloo are perfectly cast in their roles; Ben’s Bagheera is cautious and protective, Bill’s Baloo is silly and heart-warming. Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito lends his majestic voice to the wolf pack leader, Akela, and Idris Elba is the terrifying Shere Khan. Lupita Nyong’o, of recent Star Wars fame, plays Mowgli’s wolf-mother Raksha. Scarlett Johansson and Christopher Walken, each immensely talented, round out the cast as slippery serpent Kaa and monstrous ape King Louie. The late Garry Shandling even makes an appearance as porcupine Ikki. I wouldn’t usually list a film’s entire cast, but that’s just to show the remarkable level of talent Disney managed to assemble for this one.

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     The movie’s CGI has been lauded ever since the first footage was released, and rightly so. I’m usually fairly critical of CGI, but I was taken aback by the immense world Disney created. It’s visually stunning. Never since Avatar’s Pandora have we seen a digital world so beautifully rendered. The film ambitiously chooses to do almost every character in CGI (a necessity, since talking animals are still hard to come by). They deliver them in a way that raises the bar for high-budget CGI in the coming years, with animals integrated seamlessly into delightful landscapes.

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     I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the film’s music. It’s not a musical, per say, but it certainly makes use of two of the original film’s most (and, truthfully, only) popular songs. For the most part, it did so quite impressively. The usage of two songs in an otherwise non-musical film is a bit surprising, and the integration isn’t perfect. It is, however, shamelessly fun to see the old songs make their way onto the big screen once again.

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     The final piece of the puzzle is the film’s narrative. With veteran filmmaker Jon Favreau at the helm, the story is developed carefully and wonderfully. Mowgli’s journey, though technically one we have seen before, is creative and original. Favreau and company find fresh ways to approach the source material at every step. It’s family-friendly, inviting, and warm. At times, it’s scary—and I’m not just talking about jump scares. With The Jungle Book, Disney delivers a film that offers an immersive, rich storytelling experience and doesn’t solely rely on nostalgia to give us chills.

photo courtesy of ramascreen.com