The Jungle Book

It is refreshing to know that the truly classic tale of The Jungle Book can still be marveled at, embraced and enjoyed.
Whether you're a fan of Rudyard Kipling's great work or the 1967 Disney classic, sit back and rejoice as superb elements of the two come together and are revamped and ramped up to the max in this gloriously brilliant retelling. Jon Favreau brings to 2016 a barn-storming, blistering bevvy of brilliance in this superb Jungle Book. All the old elements you know and love are there, plus one or two new marvels that only film-making in the twenty-first century can bring. All pretty much perfectly pitched, perfectly executed and the end result verging on pretty much perfect.


Right from the off, when we get that original haunting and stirring jungle rhythm (provided inside and as part of a stunning soundtrack from John Debney) you just know that they have got this right.
The tale of the man-cub Mowgli and his adventures through the jungle, his friendships with Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, and his enemies such as King Louie and the dreaded tiger Shere Khan; it is all there and it is all great to watch. The story at its hear is one most will know, but all the added extras and embellishments are what truly bring it to life.
I was a tad dissapointed to realise the film was nearly all CGI-based, in terms of locations and characters (barring Mowgli) but actually it just did not matter. Nearly every frame was superbly believable, and immediately you are captivated and surrounded by the feel of the jungle; you very easily forget that a good chunk of this was done via CGI.
Whether it is fast-paced action, chilling and thrilling scenes, or tender emotive moments, every image, every sound, every scene and every piece of The Jungle Book just makes you smile. Not only because of how well it is done, but also due to how well it stirs just the right reaction for maximum enjoyment when you watch it.

Now to the cast, which is formidably impressive and broadly speaking stunning to watch and hear. Sadly I'm going to start with the one dissapointment for me among the cast list, and that is the one character who appears live. When I watched Neel Sethi as the vital character of Mowgli I was struck by two things. First, in terms of looks, mannerisms, facial expressions and to a certain extent screen presence he is definitely Mowgli. Perfect, simply made for the role - great casting. Second, the moment he opens his mouth he ruins almost all of that. I can see the idea - in trying to make Mowgli approachable, emotive and actually not that bothered about his surroundings, and the lines he gives, they have actually ruined the overall effect. In most scenes, I found Sethi's delivery almost cringe-worthy. Very stunted, forced on occasion, and very very wooden most of the time. You can hear the effort in almost every line, and there isn't that much and it doesn't seem to get him that far; especially when he tried his hand at singing. He just about gets away with it because of the magnificence of the computer generated setting he is in, and because physically he can embody Mowgli, and of course because he is surrounded by far better acting talent. Yes, I know he is young and this is his first big film, but for a picture as grand and great as this I was dissapointed to notice a sad decline in the actor portraying Mowgli, among what would otherwise be a perfect film.

However, as frustrating as the character of Mowgli sometimes is, the rest of the cast featured in The Jungle Book are pretty much flawless. I have to confess I was a tad wary before seeing the film when I saw some of the names attached to provide the voices of certain characters. However, I am happy to say I was so wrong.
Bill Murray perfectly captures the cheeky, care-free yet loveable Baloo. Sir Ben Kingsley is perfect as the panther Bagheera. Though I was skeptical, giving Kaa a female voice thanks to Scarlett Johansson was inspired; for the first time the iconic python was both terrifying and highly seductive - the perfect hypnotist. Idris Elba gave huge gravitas and power to the dreaded Shere Khan, and new gems Lupita Nyong'o and Giancarlo Esposito were sublime as the voices of wolves Raksha and Akela. Finally throw in the genius that is Christopher Walken as the gigantic King Louie and you have a simply phenomenal vocal cast. Believe me they are all just as brilliant in the film as they sound on paper.

Truly, I loved this Jungle Book. Scratch around any minor wrinkles and you cannot get away from the fact that it is simply joyous to watch. I urge anyone who has any loved but long-past links to the book, or the Disney classic, or if you just want to enjoy a new belter, to go see it. I have no doubt that in years to come, this Jungle Book too will become a cinematic Disney classic.