Rank: 4/ 5
With this modern take on Rudyard Kipling’s beloved childhood classic, children and adults alike are swept away into the animal kingdom of “The Jungle Book.”
The remake is a new take on an old favorite. “The Jungle Book” was written in 1894, and this adaptation is the third remake produced by Walt Disney Pictures.
During its opening weekend, the film earned $103.6 million in North American box offices and $291 million worldwide.
The computer-generated imagery alone in the film merits seeing it in theaters. The cinematography demonstrates the advancements of special effects in filmmaking, and sets a new standard for computer-generated films.
The entire movie was made in downtown Los Angeles, not the lush, visually stunning jungle viewers see; an astonishing fact considering the level of beautiful, complex visuals featured in the movie.
The movie uses photorealistic rendering, CGI and motion capture technologies to create the animal characters entirely in key frame computer animation. The extremely lifelike animals, combined with their voiced counterparts, give the creatures new emotional depth and feeling that resonates with the audience.
This remake was successful and true to the original tale, something that is uncommon in Hollywood nowadays. It was engrossing and kept the audience guessing.
This version is certainly more realistic and emotionally investing than its predecessors. The relationships between the animals are given much more meaning, and the antagonists are portrayed as more sinister than before.
The lineup for the voice actors in the movie could not have been better — Bill Murray, Christopher Walken, Lupita Nyong’o, Ben Kingsley and Scarlett Johansson star. Bill Murray is the absolute heart of the film.
While the movie has two of the original songs from the well-known 1967 animated musical comedy, director Jon Favreau chose not to make this version a musical. A good decision, as a musical movie would have lessened the emotional impact felt in the realistic version.
“The Jungle Book” appeals to all audiences. Children can watch all of Mowgli’s adventures for the first time, from being raised by wolves, hunted by a tiger and meeting new friends as he travels through the jungle.
The film has a great overall message, and is endearing to watch. It takes a classic story and enhances it, while maintaining the original narrative’s integrity.