Jungle Book Review (English)

Movie review by Zulfiqar

PG Wodehouse was once quoted saying that the demise of Kipling had created a void in the history of literature. It would sound true if you happen to see the latest offering from the disney’s, Jungle book. The movie is as intriguing and as entertaining as it is a moral lesson for the tots. Along with the garnishing of the visual highlights and latest technological touches, it is a winner even in heart and spirit.

Remaking old movies has been one of Hollywood’s traits. And most of the times, it didn’t meet the success and estimation, which the big bosses crave for. This had been solely because of the belief that the modern technical advances will facilitate in enriching the overall picture. The crux that the story and the spirit play the pivotal aspect is mostly missed. Except the batman series, I couldn’t count many movies which were better than the old versions. Jungle book here though is an exception. Favreau never loses the thread of his plot and storytelling, while he handles the highly enhanced CGI technology.

               Jungle book’s plot is about a human boy, Mowgli, found in the jungle by the panther, Bageerah. The wolf pack raises him especially the mother-wolf Raksha, under the shelter of the elderwolf, Akela. But the predatory and ferocious tiger sher khan questions the belongingness of the kid in their Jungle. He sniffs him out and wants to tear him from limb to limb, but the jungle population doesn’t see eye to eye with the canine on this aspect. And they can’t stare into his eyes either. Mowgli, being the tender heart he is, decides to leave the pack as he will be more of a burden to the society, which had done him some good. His egress and the aftermath constitute the juicy bit of the plot.

               The point where Jungle Book scores heavily is in the familiarity and the ease, with which Favreau introduces and befriends us with the myriad fauna of the cast. Anyone will be touched by Bageerah’s guardianship of his ward and how he takes on the mantle of the kid when a dangerous foe stands in his path. Ben Kingsley provides the voice, which is nicely balanced by the no nonsense security he provides and a little biting warmth for the kid. Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o), mother wolf, is all love for her human son and her motherhood transcends through the genomic barriers. Akela (Giancarlo Esposito of ‘breaking bad’ fame), the elderwolf, infuses a sense of respect for the way he stands up for a cub, against the mightiest of foe. Kaa (Scarlette Johannson) is the mysterious and twisted Python, who has a secret story to tell. But one couldn’t just put it past Bill Murray. His voice that of the loping, lazy bear, Bhaloo, is a pleasure to hear. Bhaloo represents the loafing and fooling friend, whom anyone would love to possess. And Idris Alba effortlessly carries the rumble of the tiger in his deep voice causing many a shiver to both the beings on and off the screen. All these characters represent what they are and you might be wondering you might have been knowing them since a long time. Louie(Christopher Walken) is more of a sudden danger in life, than a character, which we face unexpectedly. Probably the familiarity lies in the way Kipling imagined these diverse creatures of the forest. He had a story for each of the individual in the way they move and behave. And finally the boy Mowgli. Neel Sethi has a great charm around him. Hardly there would have been anyone in the theatre who wouldn’t have loved him. He has that innocence, that boyish vigour, childish alacrity and natural fondness, which defines him being Mowgli. It becomes hard for you to decipher if he loves the animals more the other way around.

               Favreau never loses his time in introducing the characters and telling the story later. Each and every bit of a new character emergence builds the plot. Kaa cuts the flashback of Mowgli, which would have been tedious, if handled in any other way. The scene with Bandar-log not only tells Mowgli about the happenings of the jungle when he had left it but also the motivation for him to go back. The characters help us remind us of all the universal and basic elements of life, emotions and responsibilities, which are better learned when a kid is at his parents’ knees. There’s also a sequence with elephants, which stresses on the importance of a good deed done with no kickbacks. But more deeply at the core of Jungle Book is an environmental message of the responsibility of humans with those of the lesser animals and how they need to care about the natural surroundings. The tiger’s complaint is something that is not without reason.

               Jungle book is hailed more as a visual success. And I agree, but that sole element had sunk the recent group of superheroes. However, the CGI work in the movie has risen to just another level. The fluid like motion of the characters on the screen, who are almost all of them generated on computers using motion capture of the vocal artistes is flawless and a visual marvel. Though, I am not a big fan of the overrated 3D, there was not much of a complaint while I watched the near two hour picture. The Neelgai sequence and the Bandarlog havoc are well choreographed and would hold adults’ and kids’ breath alike. Against the backdrop of the sweltering and annoying summer of this year, ‘Jungle Book’ is a welcome call from our lesser mammals.