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Read MoreThe Jungle Book: Studded with Stars, Including the Digital Technology
by Sandra Olmsted
Director Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book is a digital marvel and an edge-of-the-seat exciting film. Adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s classic stories, this new Disney film varies significantly from the 1967 version because of an environmental theme and a more exciting, realistic, and violent plot.
In the opening, Mowgli (Neel Sethi, the only human in the film) bounds through the jungle with his wolf pack; unfortunately, he has once again been surpassed by a litter of pups and can’t join leader Akela (voice of Giancarlo Esposito) and the adult pack on the rock outcropping. Fortunately, his wolf mother Raksha (voice of Lupita Nyong’o), “sibling” Gray (voice of Brighton Rose), and Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), a panther who found Mowgli after his human family was killed, comfort Mowgli.
Although Mowgli is told not to use his “magic” tricks which are simple tools because they frighten the other animals, Mowgli can’t resist when his pack visits to the watering hole. The real threat, however, appears when Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), a disfigured tiger, smells “man” among the animals. Because of a drought, a truce between all animals allows everyone to drink safely at the only remaining water source. The drought, of course, eventually ends, and Shere Khan, comes for Mowgli. By now, Akela and Bagheera have decided that Mowgli must rejoin the humans.
Mowgli, who doesn’t want to leave his jungle home, reluctantly obeys. Then, Shere Khan attack Bagheera and Mowgli on their journey to the human village, and Mowgli is separated from his protector. Alone in the jungle, Mowgli faces new dangers from the hypnotic, hungry python Kaa (voice of
Scarlett Johansson) and the ambitious giant ape King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who wants to control the “red flower” like humans. Luckily, Baloo (voice of Bill Murray), the hungry, exploitive swamp bear, protects and soon loves Mowgli and his magic tricks, but Shere Khan has not forgotten Mowgli.
Those who are familiar with the 1967 film will find this new adaptation much more realistic, not only for the brilliantly-created jungle but for the death of several characters. For those nostalgic about the 1967 musical version, Favreau has wisely included “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You”; however, some may find the songs out of place. The realism of the digital technology and talent of the cast, including Garry Shandling in his final role, delightfully bring the animal characters to life. Composition with Sethi and the digital animals using green screens, the gorgeous, multilayered digital world looks better than even Avatar’s did.
Running 105 minutes, The Jungle Book is a Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release and is rated PG for some sequences of scary action and peril. Seeing The Jungle Book in IMAX is well worth the extra cost because of the realism, the star-studded voice cast, and one very talented newcomer.
