Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to movie review.
Last year, i reviewed a live-action Cinderella, despite it was good, but its not as fresh than the animated classic. So the next live action remake that im going to talk about is The Jungle Book. As a kid, i watched the 1967 by Walt Disney (But the movie came out after his death back in 1966.), it was great with an interesting characters, well-drawn and a good story. Although i never seen some live action like the 1942 version or even the 1994 with Jason Scott Lee.
But when they announced it, i was very anticipated to find out if its either good or bad remake, i mean, it has an all-star casts and it was directed by Jon Favreau, the same guy who directed Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr.
So i finally want to see it so this made me raise the question.
Does this movie will be much more improvement than the animated classic, or is it another remake that its not as fresher like Cinderella did?
Lets find out. (Btw, not only talk about this movie, but il also compare from the source material and the animated classic. Even though i've never read the book, but i was likely doing a research for the different.)
The story
As you know, it was based on a story with a same name by Rudyard Kipling. The plot is about a man cub named Mowgli was saved by Bagheera and brought him to the wolf pack. As he grew up as a kid (mainly a Man cub), he likes to live with wolves. Just then, they heard an evil tiger name Shere Khan who's looking to hunt down a man with a fire. Oh did i just say "fire", i mean the animal kingdom was referring as "Red flower". As Mowgli has no choice but leave his family to find somewhere to be safe. But Bagheera wants him to leave the jungle to the man village, but Mowgli refuse to go there because he was aware of every man's traps that he wants to stay in the jungle that like i said, finding a safe place to stay away from Shere Khan.
I gotta say, the story itself was pretty interesting that its almost like a better story of animated classic. Which in animated version, Mowgli is much as acting being a whiny kid to stay in the jungle for no reason. But in the remake, he finally has a reason why he wants to stay in the jungle, despite he was a little bit of bratty attitude.
Although it has some different part than the animated version like Baloo saved Mowgli from Kaa, Akela was killed by Khan (Well spoiler alert if you haven't seen it. ^^;) and unlike the animated version that the wolf pack has a small appearance, they have more appearance in this movie.
So the story is like what if they mix the animated version and a small part from the book in the blender, but in a good ways. :)
The production
I gotta say, the production of this movie is pretty cool to watch. Which i though it was filmed in the jungle. But i was wrong, it was filmed in LA for a work of CGI, which its kinda disappointing. Star Wars prequel called, they want the production back. But, im ok for that, which it feels a little bit realistic. most of the animals were all done on computer even though they look greats, but Bagheera and Kaa's design may or may not look as good, which they either look cartoony than real life panther and python. I know Kaa has an hypnotic eyes like in the animated version, but she looks kinda creepy... ^^;
But the way the animals move and their portray was good what they act like in real life animals like they want some foods or even looking curious.
As for the music, it was well composed for the jungle theme. And yes, they brought back our favorite animated songs like "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wan'na Be Like You", which i find them an interesting remake, which Bill Murray and Christopher Walken did a good job signing. :)
Although the music and the production was great looking, but i wish it could've film in the jungle, maybe its the over budget or even a permission for the country, but meh.
The characters.
Like i said before, it has an all-star casts that we recognized, which they do a voice acting of animals.
But first, we have Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi in live action). I gotta say, he's much more interesting than the animated version. Yes, i i know he may have a childish attitude like "No! I wanna stay here!", but at least he has a reason like as i mention before, he was aware of man's traps and even stay away from "Red Flower" and love and care his family. Unlike in the animated version, he was actually make his invention plan like to get a honey or even make a way to climb a tree has "tricks", which im actually impressed what he did. Neel did a great job and its first time that he played as a main role and he did a great job for his stunts in the jungle, which he was learning to do Taekwondo when he was 4. I was surprised for him when he was young.
Now for the animals, first we have Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley). In the original book, Bagheera did try to keep Mowgli in safe to stay away from Shere Khan, but he's rather plain lazy. But in film, he's kinda portray as an adopted father or either a guardian. I think his portray may be better than the book for his awareness. Even though i never heard of Ben Kingsley, but he did a nice work.
Next there's Baloo (played by a legendary comedian Bill Murray), in the book, he was portray as a teacher that he has a decision for a group which Mowgli likes to live. In the film, he was portray as a fun-free bear who likes to singing, eating like in the animated classic. Even though he has a fear of high... ^^; Bill Murray's role of Baloo is always fun like animated version, he made me laugh and smiling. Especially Neel Sethi said that he was impressed Murray's role. :D
Then there's Raksha (played by Lupita Nyong'o). In the book, there's not much to say, she's just a mother of the wolf pack with Mowgli. In the animated version, she's probably a small appearance with no name, but her love was named "Rama". In the live action, he got more appearance. Like in the book, she has a threatening line to tell Shere Khan to stay away from Mowgli. I mean jeez, talk about a badass mother... 0_0 I wonder what if Toriel from Undertale is threatening at Flowey to leave Frisk alone.
Next, there's Kaa who's appearantly female python (Which she was voiced by Scarlett Johansson, aka Black widow from Marvel). In the book, Kaa is not a bad guy, but rather an ally of Mowgli for wisdom. But Disney decided that Kaa is portraying a creep who wants hypnotizing Mowgli for a vore... ^^; But unlike the animated version which Kaa appeared twice, here, she has a small appearance. But at one point, she even remembered how Mowgli was lost when his Man father was killed by Shere Khan, i mean how did she know that, did she stalked Bagheera and Mowgli before eating alive or something? But it doesn't matter for her reason. But at least Scarlett did a great work for her role that Kaa is kinda like succubus in python.
Then we have King Louie (played by Christopher Walken). However, he's not in the book, which it has full of monkeys. So Disney decided to make a monkey king in the movie. Not to mention, King Louie was inspired from Louie Armstrong, not to mention he was supposed to voice by Armstrong himself, but he refused for that, so his role was Louie Prima. Unlike the animated version for his design, Louie is friggin huge, which he's a Gigantopithecus, i mean he's like what if he's a cousin of King Kong... 0_0
Finally there's the main antagonist, Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba), in the book, im not sure that he's a bad guy or not, he's more like an unlikely rival with Mowgli and sometimes feel sick, which i felt like that he's lame or something. But in the movie, he is a dangerous predator, he's fearless (kinda...), ruthless and loves to hunting for death. He's probably the most scariest and baddest villain in Disney and gives a nightmare for childhood. For me, i don't have a nightmare of him, but i was not being scared like Mowgli and fight him to become a man! Well, not being a hunter of animal kingdom... ^^; Either way, am i even talking about Idris Elba's impressive role since he did in Zootopia? Meh, i think he did a great job.
They're a few other characters that has purposes or a tiny appearance, like Akela (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito) who's a leader of the wolf pack, Hathi is a colonel of the elephants with his junior son and hew animals that that has nothing to do with and some others (next to Baloo) are curious about Mowgli that either that i like to make fun of or even made me laughing.
And now for my final opinion of the film.
Overall, the 2016 The Jungle Book is a fascinating remake i've ever watch, it has a improvement story, good music and great characters. Although the production looks great, despite it was done in CG. The negative part that i don't like, aside from the lack of design of Bagheera and Kaa, some part in the climatic that has a surprise jumpscare (i mean, it only works in a horror films or something.), its just annoying what i was watching and even a name "Red Flower", in the animated version, they don't called it, they just easily say "fire". The name "Red Flower" of a fire is just plain lazy name, its like what if you change a name of a Mercedes F1 car as "Grey Wheel". Anyway, i heard that they're actually plan to do a sequel and Neel Sethi will come back as Mowgli. Even though it has some flaws, but i like this movie, i think its better than the animated version. No offense, i still like it too in my childhood. If you're curious about the remake or a big fan of a Kipling's story, this one is for you.
I rate this movie a 8.5/10. Its definitely a must-watch.
So this ends of my review, if you guys have your opinion or suggestions, let me know in the comments bellow.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out. ;)
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