The built up hype about the Jungle Book was totally justified and classic Disney fans every where were perfectly satisfied in Disney’s newest film remake. And if you’re anything like me and waited 2 years for this movie, then I am so happy to say that you won’t be disappointed. The Jungle Book was a brave story to choose for a live action film. Often, talking animals can hinder the story of a movie, but in this film the CGI animators did a great job in making it as realistic as possible, especially for 3D.
Director Jon Favreau did an amazing job with casting. Neel Sethi was a perfect look alike for the classic Mowgli character that we all grew up loving. The casting of Scarlett Johansson as Kaa was my personal favorite, because in the original movie, none of the main characters are female. I felt this was a shoutout to modern women, and Kaa is such a powerful role. Johansson’s voice adds to the hypnotizing manner that Kaa is supposed to portray. Each character was carefully casted and their voice actors do a perfect job projecting their personalities just as they were in the original animated feature, especially Bill Murray and Ben Kingsley who were casted as Mowgli’s guardians, Baloo and Bagheera.
Full length remakes allow the directors to add in extra details that were not included in the original, such as more about the wolf pack that raised Mowgli, and the story of Shere Khan’s fear of “the red flower.” These little details capture the hearts of everyone and keep them on the edge of their seats. They bring to life everything that the Jungle Book represents: family, friendship, love, bravery, peace and growing up. They even included the music; although King Louie’s (Christopher Walken) “I Wanna Be Like You” was a little rocky and took away from the intensity of the scene. The scene for “The Bare Necessities” was absolute perfection and an awesome tribute to the original song.
There is no doubt that this movie is worth seeing, and the full 3D experience is beautiful. Mowgli and his friends tell an amazing tale of family and the importance of it, even if you find it in an unexpected place. This film is for all ages and should be something everyone should take the time to enjoy.