Jungle Book Movie Review : Neel Sethi and his animal buddies give us a summer affair to remember

It is rare that a kiddy film manages to mesmerize this effectively. But this screen adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic novel The Jungle Book, is visually riveting. The adventure story seems to have lived inside Kipling's head to have created fine replicas of the life of man cub Mowgli and his non-human family. But the one factor that makes it a notch above the other Disney films we've seen this year, is the very fact that director Jon Favreau is able to whiff up an immersive tale despite having a story that is favourite with every generation. Tampering with such material is tricky since you almost always run the risk of botching it up, given the high expectations. Added to it, is the fact that favourites have no ability to surprise. But Favreau seems unperturbed by the expectations and the hype around the film. He must be a fan child, someone who not only deeply loves the story he is playing with but also has full faith that he will be able to conjure up something refreshing from it. Yes, you do know about Mowgli's losses and laurels and yet, this film never feels dated. You are too amazed by the perfection of the film's VFX and too busy losing yourself in the world of fantasy that Favreau paints. From Sher Khan's growl and prowl to Ka's arresting eyes, the film calls to our fondest childhood memories but draws you to it with its visual prowess and not solely by playing its nostalgia card.

It was a brilliant decision on part of the studio to bring Favreau to helm it. Beneath the swank of digital excellence is a story that is well-known and yet surprises you, touches your heart, makes you feel the pangs of loss and love. Being heart melting is any film's greatest quality and this movie has that one thing, amongst many others, right. Amidst the vibrantly hued palette of the jungle that makes you wary and yet lures you by its idea of adventure, the filmmaker offers a film that won't arise comparisons. It suffices so well by itself on account of being tempting, risky and aww-so-adorable, that you tread too far into enjoying the summer affair to care about what has not gone right vis-a-vis its last time.

The taut screenplay comes handy for the film. It is an art to be able to condense a widely read story into a screenplay of less than two hours. But this film manages it without faltering much. The story sticks to the hero but it's sub-parts have been dealt with generously. Bagheera and Baloo obviously steal the thunder from others but all other parts are good on their own. Mowgli's wolf pack, especially his wolf mum Raksha give you two memorable lump-in-your-throat moments. He is a child lost in between who he is and who he is brought up as. Child actor Neel Sethi gives Mowgli the apt innocence. His act defies his years as he layers his character with love and care. To be able to extract this performance from a novice, the filmmaker deserves an applause. And in his part, Neel is charming. His eyes twinkle with mischief, his ability to have fun in morbid times is a clear hint for modern kids that goes - 'we've left childhood too far behind'. 

As the story goes, Mowgli was abandoned in the jungle and Bagheera had rescued him. But the man cub incurred the wrath of Sher Khan, the self-proclaimed King of the Woods. Bagheera and his Wolf parents decide to send him back to the man village to keep him safe from the autocratic Tiger but fate had different things lined up for the boy. 

He was destined to meet the lazy bear Baloo. In fact his honey escapades and singing sessions in the river with the bear are film's best bits. Thankfully, the director never loses sight of the film's target audience. Quite early on he realises that the Baloo-Mowgli repartee holds the key to the film's appeal factor. And he makes it as winsome as he can. Our favourite gotta be the bit when Baloo asks Mowgli can he sing and the child narrates his pack's totemic chant. The nonchalant bear retorts saying, "That's not a song, that's propaganda!" The next few scenes that follow are adorable. When you see the bulky bear climb a mountain for the kid, you realise that it was a relationship that ran beyond the demand and supply of honey.

If Baloo is the fun factor, Bagheera is his constant companion. The one who protects ferociously. To see Bagheera and Baloo take up for the man cub who isn't one of them and fight Sher Khan has a far reaching underlying message about kindness and brotherhood. The scene where Mowgli saves the baby elephant from the ditch using one of his much-admonished man tricks reiterates the idea of the film. Yes, cinema is all about entertainment but a good message won't hurt a soul. As long as it isn't propaganda!

The film has painted its animal figures with great detail and they are in sync with the story. The menacing Sher Khan has an intimidating demeanour, who in particular is the one figure that has been done really well. Thankfully none of them look caricaturish. Their lip movements during dialogues are precise and their bodies slender enough to justify their pace and their bodies crinkled enough to reflect their age.

The entire sequence where Kaa features is wonderfully done. The sound quality was accurate and the camera movement ensures that the scene makes it into your nightmares for a few days.

Eventually, the lion share of the film's triumph must be attributed to the young Neel. The child is a winner who is matured enough to assume his screen character with such confidence. He overcomes every challenge posed at him and comes across as a natural on screen. And mostly you can see him enjoy himself through the peaks and crests thrown his way.

It is after a long time, we admit, we fell in love with a film. With Bagheera, with Baloo and with the boy who came from nowhere and became the child of the jungle.

We rate this film a 80% on the Pinkvilla Movie Meter.