The Jungle Book (2016)

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Written by: Justin Marks & Rudyard Kipling (book)

Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, & Ben Kingsley







Does anyone remember in 1994 that The Jungle Book?  When Mowgli grew up?  No?  Here's a picture:

I like that version the most because it's about him growing up and staying in the jungle.  And it's still by Disney, so...

Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there first.  The new version of The Jungle Book came out and is doing above expectations at the box office.  

The premise of the film is basically the same as the 1967 animated version minus a few songs and some variations in the plot.  

Mowgli (Sethi) has been raised by a pack of wolves ever since he can remember.  But after Shere Khan (Idris Elba), the tiger, discovers that there is a man cub living in the jungle, he is set on destroying him due to his belief that man is dangerous.  For protection Bagheera (Kingsley), a panther, is escorting Mowgli to the man village, but the two, unfortunately, get separated.  Mowgli meets various characters through his adventure and essentially has to decide whether or not he wants to stay in the jungle or go with the humans?

I thought Favreau did an amazing job.  The casting was perfect and so was the CGI in my opinion.  Even though Sethi's acting wasn't up to par as the others, it's understandable.  He's a newcomer, a child, and has to interact with animals that aren't there.  Talk about talent.  

The main difference I'd have to say between this film and the original Disney version in 1967 is how much, for lack of a better term, scarier this one is. In the 1967 version, Baloo and King Louie were singing together and dancing.  I thought King Louie was terrifying in this one.  When he came out, kids started crying!  If his size wasn't enough, Christopher Walken singing his songs didn't help.  His deep voice and big blue eyes could make any kid cry.  In the original, King Louie was normal size, what happened Favreau?

Besides that I liked the addition of the honey sequence with Mowgli and Baloo.  I felt like they kept the right songs, but I do wish they had more of Kaa (Scarlett Johansson.)  If you didn't see the original, Kaa, the snake, is basically Shere Khan's sidekick, which in this version they eliminated completely.  No sidekick alert. 

But perhaps that was what Favreau wanted.  If it was going to be exactly the same as the original, why make a remake in the first place?  Nevertheless I thought the story was complete and the acting was great.  4 popcorns.  I still say though that everyone should see the various versions.  It's fun to see the differences, or maybe I just find that fun.