Unknown's Movie Review of The Jungle Book (2016)

Return to the 'Jungle'
Unknown - wrote on 05/11/16

'The Jungle Book' is the latest, in what looks to be a forthcoming wave of live-action remakes of Disney animated classics. This particular film is on par with the studios last release, 'Cinderella'. I found that to be a faithful retelling with some intriguing little bits to make it stand apart from it's original counterpart, but ultimately felt like a polished retread. The exact same can be said for 'The Jungle Book'. Not that I don't give positive regard. I do think this is a well made movie, from a technical standpoint. The CG effects on display are groundbreaking. The animals on screen are so close to lifelike that it's easy to get sucked into this jungle. A couple of minutes in, and I already forgot that 95% of this film was made using computers. It's visually impressive! The cast of varying famous actors all lent their voices perfectly to their characters, with Idris Elba as Shere Khan being the standout. He has a commanding voice and brings much menace to the role to become the most memorable animal. A few of those with less screen time in the original are present throughout the story this time and that major difference is the one thing that actually sets this version apart. Shere Khan and the wolf pack who raised Mowgli end up having the only investing drama because of this change. The boy playing Mowgli is fine. His interactions with the animals are very convincing, which is impressive considering he's acting alone in every scene. However, I never became invested in his character. That's probably more on the writing. There aren't many new narrative avenues present, besides the whole wolf pack vs. Khan debacle. Even though this isn't a musical, the two most memorable songs from the animation are still present in shortened form. I felt they didn't fit and stuck out sorely, especially since those singing them don't have the most vocal range. I was entertained throughout, but the only standout good parts are the minor alterations from the original.