Okay, so I get that we're very swiftly starting to eliminate any and all original ideas being made into feature films. It's been coming for a few years now. First everything was based off a book... which was okay because nobody reads anymore. Then, it was starting to be based off of comic books... which was okay because it was cool to see how these hand-drawn animated characters played out in real life on the screen. Then it was sequels to comic book movies. Then it was more and more sequels to the original ideas and/or the based off a book ideas. Then it was remakes of older movies. Remakes of newer movies. Reboots of remakes of older and newer movies that were either based off a book or a comic book or a book sequel or a comic book prequel reboot. Whatever. It's exhausting complaining about it so much. Disney has come up with its own plan (other than bankrupt the rest of the world by owning the Star Wars franchise now). They're taking their old cartoons that were so successful and turning them live action (Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Maleficent). The Jungle Book is the next entry of a long line of live-action old Disney cartoons that will be coming out (Pete's Dragon, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Mulan, Winnie the Pooh, The Sword in the Stone, Peter Pan). There's no more originality even at Disney anymore, folks. However, I can say this... if any of these future films are as great and beautiful as The Jungle Book... it may cease my complaining all together.
The Jungle Book is a sight to see. It's almost like when everyone lost their minds for Avatar (even though now we can all admit, no one has watched it again since theaters and no one gives remotely even one shit about the just-announced four sequels to it). An entire world was created that we'd never before seen on screen. It was entirely computer generated and it was one of the most gorgeous spectacles of my movie-going days. It was, however, used as a bit of a crutch in order to distract from the very mundane plot and lifeless acting. The Jungle Book took away what was great from Avatar and succeeded in every way that Avatar failed. Granted, the source material was a lot stronger, but this movie also had a lot more to live up to. The Jungle Book is a beloved Disney cartoon and there was a very fine line director Jon Favreau had to walk between appeasing his audience and improving upon the cartoon. And mostly, all of the decisions made in the film were improvements. The Jungle Book did almost everything right.
So, just like the cartoon we begin with Mowgli, a man cub, raised by wolves and mentored by panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley). Except this time, there's the added conflict of a dry jungle where the animals must set aside their differences and instinct of murderous animal rage, in order to adhere to a water truce (a truce set in place whenever the water levels are so low, the animals must share it in harmony or face extinction). There, is where tiger Shere Kahn (Idris Elba) discovers the man cub and swears once the rains return to end his life. This forces Mowgli's wolf parents Akela (Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito) and Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o) to decide if he should be returned to the man village or not. Mowgli, fearing for the lives of his wolf family, decides on his own to go. Bagheera accompanies him. This, however, does not stop Shere Kahn from seeking out the boy in order to kill him. Along the way to the man village, Mowgli meets Jungle Book fan favorite Baloo (Bill Murray), a trickster snake Kaa (Scarlette Johannson) and a gigantic ape, King Louie (Christopher Walken) each of whom have their own selfish motivations on how to use the boy.
Each segment of the film is more awe-inducing than the last. You'll sit there and chuckle at the silly animal characters that each have their own quirk, but forget that what you're watching is entirely computer generated. Obviously, the most fun in the film is when Mowgli meets up with Baloo and they form a sort-of strange, but exciting friendship. And really, my only true criticism with the film is that Baloo felt underused. He's introduced a little later than the original, and his time with Mowgli feels a lot more rushed than the original. (I can also complain that they didn't have the 'so what we gonna do today' vultures in this one... but I'll let it slide). Bill Murray was the absolute perfect choice for Baloo, as he's the film's comic relief and Murray does an excellent job of playing Baloo, not so much as a bear, but as a sloth in a bear suit.
Newcomer Neel Sethi plays Mowgli. He's good. He is good, so let's get that out there. But, he's still a kid actor. There have been films where I've been blown away by the acting chops of a little kid, and this wasn't really one of them. He still rushes some of his lines and there are moments when you realize you're watching a kid actor instead of a character. However, for being legitimately the only human person on screen the entire movie, he's able to do a decent job with it. Christopher Walken was a perfect choice for King Louie as was everyone else cast as their designated animal. Shere Kahn has never been more terrifying.
Almost all of the old favorite moments from the original film have been reproduced here in a way that it feels earned and not just a callback to make you smile (again, you could've had the damn vultures). The best songs from the original come into play as well. However, there are a few specific and notable changes to the story. It was definitely a little risky on Favreau's part to change the story in these ways, but lucky for him, he had a good writer working with him and they were able to improve up on the story. The ending of this film is a different from the cartoon, and I actually appreciated this ending a lot more.
The Jungle Book is one of those movies (and since we're getting closer to summer, I'm going to probably be saying this a lot) that you need to get to the big screen to see. I didn't see it in 3D because screw that I will not see anything in 3D anymore. However, I've heard from a few credible sources that the 3D is worth it. I didn't see it in 3D and I enjoyed it fine. Whatever medium you choose to watch it in... just see it in theaters. The theater I was in had screaming babies, loudly-talking children, and tiny feet kicking the back of my uncomfortable chair... and it still didn't ruin the experience for this film It's fantastic.
A-
No comments:
Post a Comment