The Jungle Book Movie Review

The Jungle Book Movie Review

Disney’s The Jungle Book is now playing in theaters everywhere, and if you were wondering whether or not to take your family to see this new live action remake of the classic, my response would be – DEFINITELY!As a bonus treat during the #CaptainAmericaEvent we had the opportunity to screen the movie at the El Capitan Theatre in Dolby Vision 3D.  The first thing I must say, if you have the opportunity to see this movie in 3D I highly suggest you go that route.  You won’t regret it.  The film has a lot of CGI special effects, some I think you’ll miss with the regular version, however regardless of the format you choose, this film is a must see.

Neel Sethi play Mowgli, the newcomer was selected for the role after a national search.  He does a great job in the movie and he’s the only live action character in the entire film. Sethi delivered on his portrayal of Mowgli, at least he made me truly believe he was so real.  When he was hurt I felt it, when he cried I cried, when he was successful I cheered. I can’t wait to see where this young actor ends up next.

Another amazing talent for me was Idris Elba as Shere Khan in the movie.  He really was the villain you loved to hate, this presence on screen was big and powerful.  He dominated in the scenes he held in the movie, they did an amazing job showing the power he commanded by using fear. There were a few scenes in the movie even I jumped and screamed a little once when he was on screen.

 

Fans of the classic may be wondering if they should go see this one and I say, Yes.  This version does have a different ending, but Disney really did a great job keeping true to the core base of the movie, while still giving you an amazing piece of cinematography.  Fans of all ages would enjoy and love the movie, and if you’re a parent with younger kids and thinking about taking yours be aware there may be about three or four scenes that may be a little scary for young kids but for the most part it’s a really good movie.  Be prepared to sing some of your favorite songs from the movie, some of which were updated.

 

THE JUNGLE BOOK is now playing in theatres everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D! Visit the official THE JUNGLE BOOK website here: http://movies.disney.com/the-jungle-book-2016.  Check out this special featurette below:

Fun Facts about Jungle Book:

• WHAT’S IN A NAME – Mother wolf Raksha is aptly named. In Hindi, Raksha means protector.
• SO BIG – Artists at WETA took some creative license when it came to King Louie, borrowing a legendary character—Gigantopithecus—and exaggerating his size. King Louie stands 12 feet tall.
• LOINCLOTH LOGIC – Mowgli sports a red loincloth in the film, but costume designer Laura Jean Shannon had her work cut out for her. “Mowgli’s immersed in water and mud, he gets rained on, he runs,” says Shannon. “We even rigged a hidden safety harness into the costume because Mowgli hangs on tree limbs and cliffs. Each of the loincloths—we ended up with 16 or 17—had a very specific purpose.”
• DETAILS, DETAILS – The team at Moving Picture Company (MPC) were responsible for animating more than 70 species, crafting 100 million leaves and simulating earth, fire and water. A team of more than 800 computer graphics artists spent more than a year on the project.
• INSPIRED BY WALT – Disney’s 1967 animated film, “The Jungle Book,” was the last film that Walt Disney oversaw. He passed away in 1966, the year before the film’s release.
  • Director Jon Favreau was inspired by more than the 1967 movie. “When I think about Disney’s legacy, I relate to Walt’s original dream,” he says. “Walt Disney’s work has influenced my work. He was considered high tech for the time. He was the first person who locked soundtrack with picture, so the characters were perfectly choreographed to the musical score—something that absolutely blew people’s minds. Disney was on the cutting edge of technology.”

If you’re taking your kids to see the new Jungle Book movie, these fun activity sheets are a great way to get them excited about the film – Spot the Difference, Maze, and Hexagon.  Click on the links to download your copy.

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