The version of Jungle Book that used to air on Doordarshan in India was from Nippon Studios in Japan. It was a version different from the Disney movie that many of us grew up on as well. Disney’s The Jungle Book was a lot less action-packed and more children friendly. The new movie helmed by Jon Favreau is stark and more intense than either of the two. In parts it’s almost like a thriller, save for Disney’s musical touches and Rudyard Kipling’s moral additions. In terms of visuals, this is as vivid as say an Avatar. The CGI-driven imagery on offer is immersive and impressive. Watching this movie in IMAX 3D is almost like reliving the action. All together, this film is an engaging experience.
The story stays true to Disney’s movie interpretation of Rudyard Kipling’s book. Mowgli, an abandoned human child, is brought up with a pack of wolves. Bageera the panther plays his mentor. Baloo the bear is Mowgli’s best friend. And you have Shere Khan whose sole aim in life is to kill the boy. While the story doesn’t seem too dark, Favreau’s treatment of the film is definitely not light. The only time you see a bit of parental-guidance type of content is in scenes where Baloo is fooling around or the wolf cubs are playing with Mowgli. Rest of the way, this live-action film with talking animals (kind of like Dr Dolittle but in The Revenant sort of way) is seriously intense. Staying true to Disney’s tinkering with the original tale, Kaa the python plays antagonist. The most awesome scene in the film shows the mysterious snake, casting a spell on Mowgli, trapping him in her coils as she narrates a surreal origin story of the young human. Kaa in the Disney movie from 1967, and all its subsequent material was a character providing comic relief. But here, in writer Justin Marks’ retelling, Kaa is seductively dangerous. She’s not bumbling around with light-hearted menace, she’s a full on killer. King Louie (the giant Orangutan and leader of the monkeys) is also darker but he does retain his penchant for singing and theatrics.
Ever since Toy Story 3 in 2010, Disney has been on a new path where it’s content is no longer cutesy and vanilla. Recent offerings like Zootopia have shown that Disney’s animated films can be dark. They can portray evil and malice without watering it to cartoon standards. And that’s what makes The Jungle Book so riveting. Shere Khan kills without remorse and he’s angry and aggressive. Same goes for Kaa and King Louie. They’re not trying to make the characters likeable. The production house is okay portraying bad for bad. In a way, it’s a throwback to writer Bill Peet’s darker ideas for The Jungle Book back in the ’60s. Back then, Peet had a powwow with Walt Disney and his thriller inputs never quite saw the day. But in 2016, with Favreau and Marks at the helm, that’s what The Jungle Book has become. It’s dark, enchanting and the themes create a world of intrigue.
Scarlett Johansson as Kaa is a revelation. Pity her part is only brief. It would’ve been great to see (actually hear) more of her seductive prowess. They could’ve easily trimmed Christopher Walken’s mildly meandering scene as King Louie, or they could’ve just added Kaa into the thick of things in the climax. A little more of Scarlett would’ve only added to The Jungle Book’s value. Young Neel Sethi as Mowgli is just about the cutest kid you’ll ever see in movies. His innocence keeps your hopes alive and offers a good compliment to the otherwise darker environs of this jungle adventure. Bill Murray as Baloo and Ben Kingsley as Bageera are top notch. Idris Elba as Shere Khan is a bit ho-hum. But this movie isn’t really about the voice actors. It’s about the CGI generated animals and they way they’re shot and incorporated into the visuals. Bill Pope is the cinematographer (he previously shot The Matrix movies) and he’s absolutely on top of the game. The special effects team and the photography team on this film deserve all the plaudits.
In India, The Jungle Book will always be compared to the version that was aired on Doordarshan. In comparison, this movie is every bit as brilliant as it seemed 20 years ago on 21-inch television sets. The 3D and the IMAX goodness add depth not just to the visuals but the impact of the story and the experience. Kids, young adults and adults will all enjoy this thrill-a-minute ride in the jungles of India, where animals can talk and where human beings and their creations are a part of enigma. Do not miss this at any cost.
The story stays true to Disney’s movie interpretation of Rudyard Kipling’s book. Mowgli, an abandoned human child, is brought up with a pack of wolves. Bageera the panther plays his mentor. Baloo the bear is Mowgli’s best friend. And you have Shere Khan whose sole aim in life is to kill the boy. While the story doesn’t seem too dark, Favreau’s treatment of the film is definitely not light. The only time you see a bit of parental-guidance type of content is in scenes where Baloo is fooling around or the wolf cubs are playing with Mowgli. Rest of the way, this live-action film with talking animals (kind of like Dr Dolittle but in The Revenant sort of way) is seriously intense. Staying true to Disney’s tinkering with the original tale, Kaa the python plays antagonist. The most awesome scene in the film shows the mysterious snake, casting a spell on Mowgli, trapping him in her coils as she narrates a surreal origin story of the young human. Kaa in the Disney movie from 1967, and all its subsequent material was a character providing comic relief. But here, in writer Justin Marks’ retelling, Kaa is seductively dangerous. She’s not bumbling around with light-hearted menace, she’s a full on killer. King Louie (the giant Orangutan and leader of the monkeys) is also darker but he does retain his penchant for singing and theatrics.
Ever since Toy Story 3 in 2010, Disney has been on a new path where it’s content is no longer cutesy and vanilla. Recent offerings like Zootopia have shown that Disney’s animated films can be dark. They can portray evil and malice without watering it to cartoon standards. And that’s what makes The Jungle Book so riveting. Shere Khan kills without remorse and he’s angry and aggressive. Same goes for Kaa and King Louie. They’re not trying to make the characters likeable. The production house is okay portraying bad for bad. In a way, it’s a throwback to writer Bill Peet’s darker ideas for The Jungle Book back in the ’60s. Back then, Peet had a powwow with Walt Disney and his thriller inputs never quite saw the day. But in 2016, with Favreau and Marks at the helm, that’s what The Jungle Book has become. It’s dark, enchanting and the themes create a world of intrigue.
Scarlett Johansson as Kaa is a revelation. Pity her part is only brief. It would’ve been great to see (actually hear) more of her seductive prowess. They could’ve easily trimmed Christopher Walken’s mildly meandering scene as King Louie, or they could’ve just added Kaa into the thick of things in the climax. A little more of Scarlett would’ve only added to The Jungle Book’s value. Young Neel Sethi as Mowgli is just about the cutest kid you’ll ever see in movies. His innocence keeps your hopes alive and offers a good compliment to the otherwise darker environs of this jungle adventure. Bill Murray as Baloo and Ben Kingsley as Bageera are top notch. Idris Elba as Shere Khan is a bit ho-hum. But this movie isn’t really about the voice actors. It’s about the CGI generated animals and they way they’re shot and incorporated into the visuals. Bill Pope is the cinematographer (he previously shot The Matrix movies) and he’s absolutely on top of the game. The special effects team and the photography team on this film deserve all the plaudits.
In India, The Jungle Book will always be compared to the version that was aired on Doordarshan. In comparison, this movie is every bit as brilliant as it seemed 20 years ago on 21-inch television sets. The 3D and the IMAX goodness add depth not just to the visuals but the impact of the story and the experience. Kids, young adults and adults will all enjoy this thrill-a-minute ride in the jungles of India, where animals can talk and where human beings and their creations are a part of enigma. Do not miss this at any cost.
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