Il libro della giungla

I've never been a fan of the original Jungle Book movie, but I did grow up watching it, and I did like it. This remake is (in my opinion) Disney's best remake so far.

The animation and the scenery is basically a new age in CGI. Not only are there CGI characters and creatures now, but locations too. The entire jungle looks absolutely real, yet it's not, and that's the great thing about it.

The characters themselves were pretty cool. I didn't care for Mowgli in the original movie, but this movie got me liking him. He's brave, not as bratty, and he's pretty inventive. Bagheera is as stern and careful as ever except that he's also got the action his book counterpart had had. And I like Baloo's character here, having a bit more of a self-serving trait his older counterparts never had but eventually becoming a nice guy. And that's the main characters. The wolves got more screen time, Kaa got a lot more dangerous (though she doesn't have as much screen time, which is my only complaint in this movie), King Louie is more sinister and less comical, and Shere Khan is a flat-out beast.

I'm also glad that they brought back three songs I enjoyed as a kid. I really liked Bare Necessities, and I've also started singing this version of I Wanna Be Like You. Trust In Me made me feel like Kaa was in a spy movie.

So on a scale from one to ten, I'd give it a perfect score: 10/10. It's an epic movie, and I highly recommend seeing this movie.

Rudyard Kipling's eponymous collective works gathered under the name of The Jungle Book is almost gospel. The stories are fables and use animals in an anthropomorphic manner to give moral lessons. Jon Favreau knows the divine quality of the works and he gives us that and more and more and more.....

I thought Disney's Zootopia has reached an epoch in CGI, but The Jungle Book is definitely the crowned jewel. I was awestruck by the level of visual details of each animal that occupies the screen. The facial expressions mirroring its running gamut of emotions, the physical movements of each animal, the pitch-perfect voicing - who wouldn't believe they possess a human soul?

Films using a predominance of CGI go stale very fast if the story cannot keep up. The seams will start to show and the minutes will turn to hours. Looking at all the frames of The Jungle Book, other than Neel Sethi as Mowgli, everything is CGI-ed to the Ying Yang. But the sense of story is so compelling, I was totally immersed in the world. Yes, animals can talk! I am a believer! Favreau marries the narrative and the visuals so well, I couldn't see one without the other. It is the perfect marriage - each element serving the other in a symbiotic relationship. The sound design is also an aural extravaganza - just listen to the scene where the anaconda, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, engages and hypnotises Mowgli. The surround sound design is jaw-dropping oh la la. In fact, I think the entire movie is a demo disc for home theatres!

This is one of the most satisfying movies I have seen this year. There is something here for everyone, from the kids to the adults. As much as I was totally captivated by the movie, I did make one snide remark (actually two, but I will keep the second one to myself). At a languid scene of Mowgli floating down the river with Baloo the bear, voiced by the incomparable Bill Murray, thick undergrowth starts to rustle and ominous music starts to reverberate. Mowgli and Baloo stare fearfully at the moving bushes, getting ready for impending danger as best as they can. I turned to the missus and whispered, "I think Leonardo DiCaprio is going to pop out." She laughed.

The 1967 animated film to me is still one of Disney's best of the "classic era". This is not just nostalgia talking, quite a few childhood favourites have not held up, but 'The Jungle Book' is an example of one that has.

Expectations were mixed for seeing this film. The trailer looked great, the voice cast is filled with enormous talent and the featurette was fascinating. It was just that, relating it to the other Disney live action adaptations, whether it was going to be one example of a re-boot that looked stunning, was well-written and performed, respected its original source material(s) and added its fresh spin, like 'Cinderella, or a well-made film with enough other decent elements to make it watchable but also one lacking in soul and charm, like 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Fortunately, 'The Jungle Book' is an even stronger example of the former, and is one of Jon Favreau's best films along with 'Iron Man'. Fans of the animation will love recognising the familiar characters and scenes and it was also really nice to see more of Rudyard Kipling's writing and story telling here, the ending being closer to that of the animated film. 'The Jungle Book' is wonderful on its own merits too, just like the Disney animated film was, which was a poor adaptation of the book but worked so well as a film on its own that it didn't matter.

Criticisms for the film are very few. The first criticism is that Kaa's scene and screen-time is far too short, a great character like Kaa deserves far more than a mere five minutes or so. And it is a shame because it is a very suspenseful and hypnotic scene with some of the film's most striking visuals, and the deceptively maternal story teller approach was beautifully written and delivered. Regrettably, the other criticism was "I Wanna Be Like You". While one of the highlights of the animated film, and one of Disney's most iconic moments, because the scene is darker and King Louie more intimidating (in size and manner), also because it comes out of nowhere, the light-hearted fun of the song that worked so brilliantly before just doesn't fit here (if Christopher Walken really did desperately want to sing the song, it didn't show in his singing because he sounded uninterested and hesitant).

On the other hand, the film looks amazing. The rich, expansive cinematography is some of the best of the year so far and the scenery and settings are so vividly detailed and colourful, that reading that it was shot entirely in a warehouse was a shock. The rendering of the animals are staggeringly realistic, especially Shere Khan, Bagheera and the monkeys. Favreau directs with a keen eye for detail and spectacle, yet doesn't forget the drama, cast or the storytelling once. John Debney's music score is full of energy, atmosphere, warm orchestration and vibrant emotion, its referencing of familiar themes feeling nostalgic and affectionate rather than cheap. As for the songs in the film, although "I Wanna Be Like You" was a disappointment "Bear Necessities" fitted right in and was as good-natured and easy-going as one can hope and "Trust in Me" is worth listening to if you stay for the closing credits, Scarlett Johansson with her low-register, smoky yet sensual tone does a surprisingly good job with the song.

'The Jungle Book's' script is very funny (Baloo getting the funniest lines, and some of them were hilarious) without being childish or simplistic while also easy to understand and thought-provoking, there is a good amount of depth too without being too dark or sugary sweet. The story moves quickly and is constantly enthralling, one thing it does better than the animated version is expanding on motivations and making characters more interesting (as great a villain as Shere Khan is in the animated film, his motivation to me seemed clearer here). The climax is dramatically satisfying and darkly tense.

A great job is done with the characters also. They're not complex, but they are likable and interesting, are very true in personality to their animated counterparts and all serve a point in the storytelling, some like Shere Khan and the wolves expanded upon. It was easy to identify with Mowgli, Baloo is a breath of fresh air and to me a great villain is one that one can totally see why the villain is hated or feared but one can also understand their point of view, which is the case with Shere Khan (this is true of the animated film too, but as Shere Khan has more of a back story here it came through stronger to me). The cast were a talented one to begin with and their talents absolutely shine through. Newcomer Neel Sethi does very credibly as Mowgli, it is incredibly hard to react against nothing and apart from a few naturally stiff moments to begin with he handles all the different emotional elements very well. The superbly chosen vocal cast are even better.

Bill Murray was born for Baloo (sounding far more engaged than as Garfield), his relaxed but witty voice-work matching the character's easy-going, good-natured personality. Idris Elba effectively puts dread into one's heart as Shere Khan, he's silky, regal, charismatic and genuinely menacing, though George Sanders brought over the suavity and oiliness more. Ben Kingsley is a stern yet sympathetic Bagheera, and Christopher Walken, in a characterisation that is like a mix of mobster boss, Colonel Kurtz and Walken's own mannerisms, makes King Louie intimidating but also entertaining. Scarlett Johansson's voice work for Kaa is eerily sensual, Giancarlo Esposito is a dignified Akeela and Lupita Nyong'o's Raksha is movingly compassionate.

In conclusion, a truly great film. Works very well as a live-action re-boot and works even more as a film in general. An epic visually stunning adventure, told with fun, heart and depth. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The Jungle Book is a live-action adaptation of Disney's famous animated film, The Jungle Book(1967). It is also based on Rudyard Kipling's novel of the same name. Mowgli(Neel Sethi) has lived in the jungle, for as long as he can remember. In the jungle, he is raised by a pack of wolves, led by Akela(Giancarlo Esposito). A wolf named Raksha(Lupita Nyong'o), is the only mother he has ever known. He has an ally & a friend, in a panther named Bagheera(Ben Kingsley). When the treacherous tiger Shere Khan(Idris Elba), opposes to Mowgli staying in the jungle, Bagheera has to return the man-cub to the man village. While on their journey, Mowgli & Bagheera receive help from a grizzly bear, named Baloo(Bill Murray). Now, it is up to Bagheera & Baloo to take Mowgli to the man village, safe & sound.

The Jungle Book is a mind blowing film. It is the most gorgeous movie, I have ever seen. What's extremely fascinating is that, the whole environment in the film is CGI. The animals are also CGI & yet, they look extremely lifelike. The forest the movie is set in, looks breathtaking. Director Jon Favreau & the rest of the crew, have maintained the soul of the 1967 animated movie of the same name. Kudos to the visual effects team, for making a live-action adaptation of a movie like The Jungle Book. Don't worry. This film is not a carbon copy of the Disney animated original. Favreau adds many new elements to the film, that will keep you guessing right till the end. The set pieces of the movie, are its highlight. The 3D provides immersion & there are quite a few scenes, that will make you duck in your seats. The casting is flawless. Newcomer Neel Sethi is outstanding as Mowgli. Sethi doesn't just play Mowgli, he embodies the character. Bill Murray is hilarious & adorable as Baloo. Murray & Sethi's rendition of The Bare Necessities, is as good as the 1967 version of the same song. Ben Kingsley is awesome as Bagheera. Idris Elba is spectacular as Shere Khan. Elba's voice-over of the predatory antagonist, is menacing & flawless. Lupita Nyong'o is amazing as Raksha. Nyong'o gives an emotional & layered performance, as the voice of Mowgli's adoptive mother. Scarlett Johansson is excellent as Kaa. I liked Johansson's version of Kaa, much better than the '67 incarnation of the sneaky snake. Giancarlo Esposito is great as Akela. Christopher Walken is superb as King Louie. The Jungle Book is a must watch on the big screen, with your entire family. Go, relive this timeless tale.

Favreau's Jungle Book is a marvel. With a Spielbergian sense of magical awe and reverent fear, it's a children's epic that not only stands-up to its legacy, but surpasses it. Giant snakeskins, intense animal battles, and daring escapes from ape kingdoms give the film a scope beyond the animated musical, all while keeping intact its persistent joy. Funny, jaw-dropping, thrilling, grand, and fun, it's an all-cylinders-go cinematic experience on every level. The story of a young man-cub raised by wolves and living amongst the animals of the jungle hasn't changed much, down to the talking beasts. Much like last year's Cinderella, they utilize nostalgia of the beloved product to dive deeper into the story without cynically dismissing it. On top of immersing us into the wilderness through meticulous attention to the smallest of details, the characters are drawn with much more depth. The bratty and paper-thin Mowgli of yesteryear is replaced by a boy with brains and motivation. Played with wide-eyed confidence by newcomer Sethi, we emotionally engage with his adventure. And he's not alone; all characters are given loving attention, specifically the foreboding presence of scary-cool bruiser Sheer Khan. The technical feat of creating photo-realistic animals that convincingly speak and emote is so impressive it feels like a benchmark in CGI. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say this is as groundbreaking and beautiful as any visual effects in years. Favreau and co. manage intense attention to accuracy without shoving it down our throats or overshadowing the story. At the end of the day, under all the computer data, there is a soulful and entertaining tale about life's bare necessity: individuality within community.