When I found out that Disney was doing a new version of The Jungle Book, I was excited! Especially after I saw the trailer.
How could you NOT get excited watching that?! I grew up watching the different iterations of The Jungle Book – from the original Disney animated film to the version where Mowgli grows up.
Cue childhood crush Jason Scott Lee as adult Mowgli
And then there was this.
The Cast
I got even more excited after seeing the cast of the movie. I mean…look at them!!!
Bagheera is a sleek panther who feels it’s his duty to help the man-cub depart with dignity when it’s time for him to leave his jungle home. “Bagheera is Mowgli’s adoptive parent,” says Ben Kingsley, who lends his voice to Bagheera. “His role in Mowgli’s life is to educate, to protect and to guide. My Bagheera was military–he’s probably a colonel. He is instantly recognizable by the way he talks, how he acts and what his ethical code is.” 🌿📖 #JungleBook A photo posted by Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) on
Akela is the strong and hardened alpha-male wolf who shoulders the responsibility of his pack. He welcomes Mowgli to the family, but worries he may one day compromise their safety. “Akela is a fierce patriarch of the wolf pack,” says Giancarlo Esposito, who voices the character. “He believes the strength of the pack lies in what each and every wolf offers. He’s a great leader, a wise teacher.” 🐺🌿📖 #JungleBook A photo posted by Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) on
King Louie is a formidable ape who desperately wants the secret of Man’s deadly “red flower”–fire. He’s convinced Mowgli has the information he seeks. “King Louie is huge–12 feet tall,” says Christopher Walken, who voices the character. “But he’s as charming as he is intimidating when he wants to be.” 🐒🌿📖 #JungleBook A photo posted by Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) on
And of course, there is newcomer, Neel Sethi as Mowgli and Bill Murray as Baloo.
Bill Murray is Baloo, the free-spirited bear. #JungleBook
A video posted by Walt Disney Studios (@disneystudios) on
Christian (my 5.5 year-old son) has seen the two young Mowgli versions of the movie, so I thought it would be cool for him to see this as well. So this Saturday, we headed to our local cinema. The theater was PACKED. It was surprising. We live in a tiny town with just one major theater that only has two showings – matinee and evening. We went to the matinee because it is cheaper. Apparently everyone and their mama had the same idea, lol. We were in line for tickets and snacks for so long that we missed the start time for the 2d version despite arriving 30 minutes early. I hate walking into movies late, so we opted to watch it in 3d (which I usually avoid because it costs more and tends to give me a headache).
The Previews:
One of my favorite parts about going to the movies is checking out the trailers. I was a bit disappointed that they only showed one this time. However, it was an awesome one. It was a trailer for Captain America: Civil War trailer that Christian had never seen before. He was FREAKING OUT, lol! “Wait! Captain America is trying to kill Iron Man?! What’s wrong with him?!”
The Plot:
This version of the movie is pretty similar to the 1967 plot. Mowgli is a “man-cub” who was rescued by Bagheera (who becomes his mentor) and raised by a pack of wolves (led by the alpha, Akela and surrogate mother, Raksha). The different animals in the jungle live in relative peace – killing only for food, showing respect to each other, and agreeing to a “water truce” during a drought (because water trumps food when it comes to survival).
However, Mowgli’s life is soon threatened by the terrifying tiger, Shere Khan, who flouts all of the rules in his quest for power and revenge. He now has a new mission – to kill Mowgli. Shere Khan (who bears the scars of man) view all men as threats. In his mind, Mowgli will become a man and needs to be eliminated before that happens.
In order to have a chance to survive, Mowgli is urged to leave his jungle home and family to live amongst men. Bagheera volunteers to return Mowgli since he is the one who brought him to the jungle. On the journey back to the man village, Mowgli encounters a cast of characters, including the honey-loving, nap-taking sun bear, Baloo; the slithery and seductive snake, Kaa; and the domineering King Louie. He learns about who he is and where he fits in. The entire time, though, he is hunted by Shere Khan, who is determined to end Mowgli’s life – not satisfied with the idea of him simply leaving the jungle.
My Review
I. Loved. It. The visuals were AMAZING. The animals looked sooooo real. Shere Khan was TERRIFYING in how real he looked. The voice actors were on point! Seriously…their performances were brilliant. I can’t think of a single person who I would replace. They WERE the characters. Neel Sethi was PERFECTION as Mowgli. The plot moved along at a great pace and I never once got bored. In fact, I was sitting at the edge of my seat and biting my fingernails at certain points even though I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen. I loved the nods to the original animated film. I was thrilled that they included some of the songs. And the way they integrated them fit in beautifully. It didn’t feel forced. It just felt…right. I found myself quietly singing along with Baloo and Mowgli. Even Christian recognized them, though he didn’t sing along. I used to think that Scar was the worst of the Disney villains. I mean, he killed his brother and blamed it on his nephew (that bastard!). However, this version of Shere Khan made Scar seem like a weakling in comparison. So terrifying! Seriously, I had chills. I was super impressed by Neel Sethi. When you think about the fact that he was mostly working with green screens and puppets, it is amazing. He is such a natural! I believed him and loved him. His acting pulled me into the story and had me invested in what happened to Mowgli. He IS Mowgli. I can’t wait to see more of him in the future.
Christian’s Review:
Christian thought that parts of the movie were really funny, especially Baloo. He liked Mowgli. He thought he was funny, cool, and the good guy. He also liked Bagheera because he helps to save Mowgli. However, he also found parts of the movie to be scary. Namely, Kaa, Shere Khan, and the fire. By the end of the movie, he was literally sitting in my lap and I had to convince him to finish watching the movie. Afterwards, he did recount the funny parts to my mom, but he also focused on the fact that it was scary.
Overall Thoughts:
Adults and older children will likely love it. Especially if you are a fan of the original animated film. However, if you have younger children or children who are prone to being easily frightened, you might want to hold off until it is on DVD or opt for the 2d version. I think that if we hadn’t watched it in 3d, Christian wouldn’t have been as scared by the scenes with Shere Khan jumping at the screen.
I would definitely recommend this movie and plan to buy it when it comes out on DVD.
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