The Jungle Book (2016) Movie Review

“After a threat from the tiger, Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and free-spirited bear Baloo.” – IMDb

The Jungle Book

Starring the Voice Talents of:

Bill Murray, Neel Sethi, Ben Kingsley, Scarlet Johansson, Idris Elba, Christopher Walken

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Box Office:  $966,554,929 Gross Worldwide

Like most individuals my age, when I first heard about them doing a new Jungle Book film, I had many parts of my childhood flash before my eyes.  From dancing and singing along to The Bare Necessities, to watching both the 1967 animated film and then the live-action film done in 1994; I could not wait to see how Jon Favreau would adapt the film this time around.

Thoughts

I loved this movie.  With a star-studded cast doing the voice talent, including Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson (the first time the two have been reunited since Lost in Translation).  Along with Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, and of course Christopher Walken, it was a fun ride even for the adults in the audience.  Believe me, when you see King Louie and hear Walken, a smile will instantly appear on your face.  Murray has the perfect voice for Baloo and adds just the right amount of comic relief to the film.

Of course, we can’t forget about Mowgli played by Neel Sethi in his debut film.  He does a wonderful job portraying Mowgli.  At times, you forget that it is an adventure film for children; this film can be a bit scary for the younger crowd.  Then, Sethi says a few of his lines and you’re instantly reminded that children will relate to this character.

The film is rated PG but there were a few times when a 6-year-old in attendance said that he was scared.  It is completely understandable that younger children would get a bit scared because of Shere Khan, or the snake. Even I admit, that as someone who doesn’t like snakes, Johansson’s character Kaa was not enjoyable to watch.  While Kaa is far from being my favorite character, the way they told Mowgli’s story during this scene was extremely well done. I give them credit for using the snake eyes in the way that they did.

It can be a bit scary…

Prepare yourself for the possibility that your child may get a bit frightened at some scenes.  For the majority of the film, children will be entranced by all the animals. “That’s a LOT of animals!”, one child exclaimed.  During the King Louie part, a child got afraid but the next minute, they had fun calling out everything he saw. “Oh, a monkey!  Temple, Mowgli, monkey, Baloo! Bagheera, Ape, ape, monkey, orangutan…” it went on and on.

Overall

I believe it is a fun film for the whole family.  Just be aware that some parts are a bit scary for the younger ages.  As an adult watching one of my favorite childhood films, it brought with it a lot of nostalgia.  I almost teared up because of the instrumental version of The Bare Necessities used throughout the film.

The entire experience was thoroughly enjoyable. I left wanting to watch the animated version just to see King Louie dancing during his musical break.

Jon Favreau has done it again.   I’m beginning to think there’s nothing he can do that won’t impress me.

Did you enjoy the film?  Did you watch it with younger children in tow?  If so, was the PG rating they gave appropriate?  Or was it a bit too scary for children?  Let me know what you thought!

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