'The Jungle Book' review: Mowgli's inherent innocence shines through in this delightful film!

Sometimes the bare necessities will do. And carry a film on its shoulders. 

One doesn't have to look too far to figure out how simplicity -- emotions and otherwise -- a marked restraint if you will, go a long way in achieving something seemingly impossible.
And so, we have The Jungle Book. A film based on a story set in India, written by Rudyard Kipling, an Englishman born in Bombay (as it was called then), is something most people grew up with. It was the 1967 Disney version we were most familiar with. But make no mistake, there were other versions, too. And I suspect the reason it touched a chord, was because it had such beautiful songs. This 2016 live-action film, essentially, is a retelling of that 1967 film, and as such will feature those songs, building a bridge of instant sing-along nostalgia. And as I've come to hear, more so, with the Hindi version.

The story is a fairly straightforward one: Boy in the jungle is brought up by a pack of wolves, is trained by a black panther and makes a hero's journey because of a villainous tiger. This film follows that journey and introduces us to the other characters he meets.

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The good thing about Neel Sethi as jungle boy/man-cub Mowgli is an endearing smile and a face filled with wonderment. For all we know, he must've worked only with green screens, making him the only actor we see, the animals are mostly CGI, using the latest photorealistic animation techniques and motion capture technology. It speaks volumes of the boy's maturity and acting skill in the face of 'tricks' that serve to create the illusion of reality. And that's where we imagine Jon Favreau's experience comes handy. Not only does he ensure that Neel doesn't go over-the-top with expressions or articulation. And that's a blessing. Most child actors sacrifice innocence in emotions for a more worked-on performance. 

And then, there's the voice cast. Sir Ben is ever the prim-and-propah Bagheera, Idris, the imposing and fearsome Shere Khan, Bill the laidback, chronic worrier of a bear, Baloo and Christopher 'My ears' got ears' Walken as King Louie are all very good and measured in their dialogue delivery. It is Lupita as Raksha, who marks her role with a singular emotion.

The film has several standout moments. The animals at Peace Rock all in one place must've been a tough shot for the animators to create. Shere Khan's entry and every scene he is in, is so real, you actually feel, he might jump out from the screen and devour you. The scene where Mowgli tells Raksha he's leaving the pack had quite a few people in tears. The lake, where Mowgli is sitting atop Baloo? Not real! Who'd have thought! The chase scene where Mowgli escapes thanks to a buffalo stampede is also well-constructed. His time with the Bandar Log and King Louie is also not to be missed. The final standoff is also worth checking out.

What really doesn't work, though are some scenes where the film feels over-animated. Like the one where Mowgli manages to steal the 'red flower'. The silhouettes of people sitting around a fire that's flaming so proudly seem not photorealistic enough. Also, the film doesn't completely follow the 1967 version, where Mowgli leaves the jungle for the Man-Village.

Too much reliance on Mowgli's 'tricks' betrays an intelligence that seem to have no precedent. Years of evolution kicking in, in almost six-eight years? To imagine that he'd be able to engineer constructs that would allow Baloo to have as much honey as he wants, despite no former knowledge/memory of having done so before, is a bit of a stretch.

And yet, you're going to love Mowgli, this film, the voice cast, the photo-realism of the animals surrounding Mowgli and an inherent innocence that just shines through and through. It's a spectacular film and one you shouldn't miss. Just go watch it!

Movie: The Jungle Book
Director: Jon Favreau
Cast: Neel Sethi, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Murray, Lupita  Nyong'o , Christopher Walken 
Rating: ****