The Jungle Book (2016) Movie Review

Released: April 15th 2016 (UK and US)

Length: 105 Minutes

Certificate: PG

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken and Idris Elba

The Jungle Book is the latest addition in a long line of film adaptations, and the latest Disney film to be converted into a live action version. It’s also a rare case of a remake which doubles down on its source material and becomes all the better for it.

Based on the stories by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book centres on young Mowgli (Played by debuting actor Neel Sethi), a “man-cub” raised by wolves who lives a peaceful life with the other animals. But when Shere Khan, a powerful tiger who enforces his rule over the kingdom vows to hunt the boy down, it is decided that Mowgli must be taken to the nearby man village for safety. Mowgli reluctantly agrees, but through his own ingenuity and the help of his close friends, the cub will discover much about himself and his bond with the wild. Alternating between Mowgli’s exploits and those of the feared antagonist, the film has a great focus which always switches things up to keep the viewer absorbed, whether it’s a cheerful song or the entrance of a new character. But it never forgets about its central character and Mowgli’s journey is what makes it all worthwhile; there’s an innocent likeability to him and when the film builds towards its perilous climax, the notion of conquering his fears takes centre stage.

Led by an all-star voice cast, The Jungle Book most definitely lives up to the original Disney version. Bill Murray is a perfect fit for Baloo with all his laid-back, wisecracking mannerisms whilst Ben Kingsley brings a wise and thoughtful persona to the panther Bagheera. Idris Elba is excellent as Shere Khan; he’s so imposing and threatening with his command, crafting a foreboding presence that hangs over the other animals. For an introductory performance, Neel Sethi does really well as Mowgli; it’s a pleasant surprise to see him embrace the part despite having hardly any physical items to interact with. All the actors fit their roles so seamlessly; if anything I wished we could have had more of specific performances. Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of Ka is deliciously creepy while Christopher Walken’s wild and charismatic King Louie could have had a lot more to show if he had been worked into later scenes. The film gets its characters spot on, but some of them could have had some extra material to work with.

The Jungle Book looks fantastic in every way; any sceptical thoughts surrounding the film’s use of computer generated effects should be completely shelved. The jungle we see here is a near flawless representation of Rudyard Kipling’s original vision. Neel Sethi is for the most part the only real actor present in the backgrounds which all blend in, along with the animals without a single hitch in believability. The environment is rendered with an impressive scale alongside a varied atmosphere that shifts from serene to mysterious and back again. The animals look near photo-realistic in their appearance from the lovingly detailed textures to the authentic calls. The soundtrack is also just as stunning with a fluently composed score from John Debney. Truly the film stands alongside the likes of The Revenant and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes with some of the best CGI in recent years.

At first glance, the 2016 rendition of The Jungle Book may be off-putting with all its computer imagery, but to look at it that way would be a great disservice. Jon Favreau clearly understands what made the original films and the source material so magical; whether you’ve seen the original Disney animated classic or not, this is one exotic film that will whisk you away like nothing else.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars