Disney’s The Jungle Book (2016) | Film Review

Whether it be the song, the cartoon or simply the title; “Disney’s The Jungle Book” is one film we are all familiar enough with to sing-a-long to.

Just in case you are one of the three who have never seen it or never read the Rudyard Kipling book upon which it’s based – The 1967 animated Disney original is the story of a young boy named Mowgli, who has been raised in the jungle by a pack of wolves ever since he was found as a baby, floating in a basket down a stream. Once he gets a bit older, he learns he is being hunted by Shere Khan – the vicious, relentless, and well-known tiger, forcing Mowgli out of his home and into an area out of the jungle he has never known. The original featured some of the most timeless tunes from my own VHS era, such as “I Wanna Be Like You”, “Trust In Me” and the most familiar of them, of course, “The Bare Necessities”.

In this live action version, many things hold true to the original, with the only significant change being the mystery surrounding the baby’s arrival. Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi) has still been raised by a pack of wolves, he is still being hunted by Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba), and he still has the best group of animal pals a young boy could dream of. Despite all of the obstacles and animals he faces, Mowgli stands true to his man-cub core; disproving anyone’s potential doubts or fears. These were all things that were expected to be included – and because they were – nostalgia really rings in with “The Jungle Book”, giving us all of the feels of the original.

What I didn’t expect was how incredibly beautiful the special effects would turn out to be. Not only do they have a young boy interacting with CGI wolves, monkeys, apes, tigers and bears – OH MY! – but they are fascinatingly realistic. Each animal is given their own human-like characteristics, as well as their individual emotions that are noticeable through their demeanor and facial expressions. Each scene is like a trance because of how visually captivating the color palette is, the incredible transitions within a scene, and the stunning realness in each and every moment. The scenery feels real, the animals feel real, and the story feels real. I truly haven’t been this impressed with a live-action film probably ever, if we’re being honest. Director Jon Favreau didn’t miss a mark with this one. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

The other thing I didn’t expect is how outrageously funny it was. It was relieving to have something so fun and light-hearted be so hilariously entertaining, yet maintain some deeply emotional values. There were so many points throughout the film when I laughed out loud that I’m unable to count. If you’re looking for a boring or dull flick, this is not for you. This version features small differences in the storyline that, while noticeable if you remember the original well, still hold the concept and likeness together while giving it a bit of a new take on the idea. It’s maintaining the branded name and story but modernizing it for today’s audience and it’s impressive how well they were able to do this, when so many others of today fail.

The casting on this is fantastic and I can’t speak highly enough of Neel Sethi’s acting as the man-cub, even though I was hesitant at first. Along for the ride is Bill Murray (YES!) as an incredibly entertaining and hilarious Baloo the bear, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera the panther, Scarlett Johansson as Kaaaaa the sexy ssssssnake, and what a fun surprise it was having Christopher Walken…as…King Louie of the apes. There’s even a guest voice appearance from Sam Raimi! Why? Who knows and who cares! Each actor works so fluidly with their character and makes for an enjoyable movie experience.

Of course the best part is the score. The original songs are featured in this one as well, in their own charming way. Make sure you stay through the credits for a trip down Nostalgia Lane (and grab your hairbrush because you might just sing-a-long). Riveting special effects, amusing characters, an entertaining story and songs – it’s just the bare necessities.