Numbers obtained from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes on April 19, 2016.
My rating IMDb Rotten Tomatoes
Critics Audience Critics Audience
8/10 77/100 8.1/10 94% 93%
I must confess I was never a fan of the animated movie of 1967 – I like the songs more than the story itself. I am also not much in favor of this wave of remakes of classic animated movies into live action. I did like Cinderella, but I really didn’t like Maleficent. For this reason, I was a little afraid before watching the movie.
Directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), this version of The Jungle Book is a treat for the eyes. And, most impressive, everything is done digitally! The scenarios of the forest and the animals look so real, especially in 3D, that it is impossible not to be awed. If the scenes are stunning, the story remains the same; so, if you didn’t like the animated film, it is unlikely that this version will change your mind.
Another highlight is the cast: Bill Murray is perfect as Baloo and Ben Kingsley is also great as Bagheera. We also have Idris Elba as the villainous Shere Khan and Christopher Walken is priceless as King Louie.
Finally, I have to mention the soundtrack: just as in the animated film, we have the delightful song “The Bear Necessities” – nominated for an Oscar in 1968 – and “I Wanna Be Like You”. There is also the song “Trust in Me”, sung by Scarlett Johansson, but it’s played only in the end credits. I understand that probably the other songs of the original were excluded to keep the pace of the film, but for me, it was strange to be a “half” musical. It did not start out as a musical and it doesn’t end as a musical either. There are only two songs “thrown” in the middle of the film.
But it’s a beautiful movie and worth seeing!
