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Townhall
“The Jungle Book” Review: A Magical Journey About family
John Hanlon
Apr 18, 2016

Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book may be a remake of the 1967 animated feature, but it completely stands alone. This is a film that pays tribute to the Rudyard Kipling book while impressing contemporary viewers with breathtaking visuals and a strong cast combined with Favreau’s strong direction and Justin Marks’ methodical script bringing this wonderful tale to life.

The story opens with the youthful Mowgli (Neel Sethi) being chased through the woods. It’s in this impressive sequence that Favreau hints at the enormity of the world he’s created. When the animals appear onscreen and start speaking, the strong effects team shows off their work in a subtle but powerful way. There’s no cuteness to the way these characters talk and there’s no strange effects involved.

Because of the nuance and the visual acuity of special effects, the drama quickly overcomes any hesitation the viewer may have about talking animals.

After a few brief scenes, the director welcomes us into the heart of his vision in a scene where dozens of different species of animal come to a small lake to drink together. It’s here where Favreau first creates a true sense of wonder and majesty. Similar to the first shot of the roaming dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, this scene magically shows the power and wonder of these creatures onscreen and welcomes the audience into an incredible visual landscape.

The main thrust of the story is established in this sequence as well. After being raised by a den of wolves, Mowgli — a man cub who doesn’t realize how different he is from the young wolves he’s grown up alongside — is threatened by the monstrous tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba). Bearing a mysterious scar on the right side of his face, Shere Khan thirsts for vengeance against this young boy. Knowing that Mowgli in trouble, the wolves discuss his fate and — at Mowgli’s insistence — decide to return him to the man village...

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