The Jungle Book Review - A must-watch for the love of Mowgli
Raven
Although there have been plenty of jungle based movies like Jurassic Park, Anaconda and Godzilla, nothing seems more captivating than the story of the man cub, Mowgli. The Jungle Book is all about the chronicles of Mowgli, who has been raised by a pack of wolves in the dense forests.
Eternal storyline
It is amazing to see that a story written by Rudyard Kipling in 1894 is still fascinating to visualize. The Jungle Book is not all about the heroics of Mowgli, but also deals with the compassionate nature of animals, a quality which we usually don't associate them with. Thanks to the familiarity of the storyline and adept handling of screenplay, we don't feel weird when Mowgli is shown as a member in the pack of wolves or even when the animals speak his language.
Acting and Voice Acting
Being a live-action film, it is imperative for the actors to give life to the animals and also strike a chord with their voice. Neel Sethi as Mowgli is the life of the film and he scores with his effervescent acts. Idris Elba as Shere Khan breathes fire and is menacing enough to build up the fitting finale. Bill Murray (Baloo) and Ben Kingsley (Bagheera) have been consistently heart-warming throughout the film as the well-wishers of Mowgli. The scene in which Baloo speaks rudely to Mowgli for Mowgli's good is sure to leave a lasting impact. Scarlett Johnson appears only for a scene but sends out an eerie feeling with her seductive voice as Kaa, the large python.
Direction and Visual Effects (VFX)
Under Jon Favreau's direction, The Jungle Book boasts of some incredibly shot episodes tailor-made for 3D, which raise the bar for VFX in Hollywood. Watch out for the snake Kaa hissing towards you in the film, which might hold your breath for a second. The amount of detailing that has gone into the making of this film is unbelievable. For instance, even at a slow passing of a wind, water ripples are seen in a pond, just as much that wind can cause.
The Jungle Book's most striking aspect is it doesn't waste time on over-dramatization of sequences. Even when Akela (Wolf pack's head) dies, there is very little time invested in that scene and the story marches forward briskly. Although a known storyline, The Jungle Book never ceases to surprise you, be it during the display of Mowgli's tricks or during help arriving from unexpected quarters.
Bottomline
The Jungle Book is an incredible amalgamation of poignant storytelling and enchanting visual effects. It is a brilliant tale that brings back old memories and also leaves new ones.
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