A classic ‘The Jungle Book’ is visually stunning

And the Oscar for special effects goes to Disney Studios for “The Jungle Book!” If that’s all it had, it would still be worth seeing, but this family-friendly, live-action adventure goes far beyond the bare necessities. Forty-nine years after the original animated Disney feature, director Jon Favreau has created another instant Disney classic for today’s generation.

With all the technology employed, this is still a story about a boy raised by a pack of wolves in the jungles of India. Twelve-year-old Indian-American Neel Sethi, from New York City, was selected from the thousands who auditioned for the part of Mowgli. As the only “real” person on the set, Sethi’s wide-eyed innocence and contagious exuberance carries him through the magnificently rendered settings and anthropomorphic critters.

The spectacularly lush jungle is visually breathtaking but filmed totally on sound stages using green screens and computer-generated VFX. Remote jungle locations in India were photographed as reference for the jungle environment. Lifelike animals were created using motion-capture VFX by actors mimicking photographed animal behavior.

The most complicated scenes required 30 to 40 hours of computer rendering per frame. At 24 frames per second of film, they needed thousands of computers to create the magic. Favreau chose to maintain critical elements of the 1967 Disney classic. But he also wanted to create a more powerful and perilous adventure, so he returned to Kipling’s stories from the 1890s for the perfect balancing act.

The opening scene of the “man-cub” sprinting through the woods is remarkable, gorgeous and exciting. It instantly draws the audience into the world of this feral child. Mowgli doesn’t have the same skills of his adopted wolf family, but has others that prove to be quite useful. His mentor, Bagheera the Panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley), frowns on these “tricks” to be used in the jungle.

As there’s always a villain, Shere Khan the Tiger (voiced by Idris Elba), is even more menacing than Richard Parker, the tiger from “Life of Pi.” As Mowgli embarks on his journey of self-discovery, he meets Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray), a lazy, but lovable bear. Although Murray had been in a comedic rut, he thankfully is wacky once again.

Along the way, Mowgli meets some threatening and unfriendly creatures. Previously protected by his family, Mowgli must determine who he can trust and how to defend himself. A large boa constrictor, named Kaa (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), coaxes, “Poor, sweet little cub. I’ll keep you close. Let go of your fear now . . . and trussst in meee!”

Another challenge is in the monkey kingdom of King Louie (voiced by Christopher Walken). When Mowgli asks how the king knows so much about him, Louie replies, “Kid, I got ears, my ears got ears, only I can protect you.” It will be up to Bagheera and Baloo to rescue the man-cub from the grips of this tyrant.

This spectacle might be Disney’s best live-action adaptation yet. The charismatic young lead and supporting voices are well cast, but the extraordinary colors, light and shadow are skillfully blended to support each scene. Screenwriter Justin Marks creates a dialog for kids that parents and grandparents will enjoy. It’s old-fashioned storytelling reimagined with stunning state-of-the-art artistry.

“The Jungle Book” is 105 minutes and rated PG for sequences of scary action and peril. Sure, this is technically more advanced than the original, but some of us will never forget the timeless voices of Phil Harris as Baloo, Louie Prima as King Louis, Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera and Sterling Holloway as Kaa.

If you get a chance, see this movie in 3D. It’s one of those pictures that drop your jaw in awe. The jungle feels so real, or maybe even surreal. Disney’s cute and cuddly animals are drawn adorably and the villains are genuinely menacing. Of all the animals in this blockbuster, Disney has once again found a way for the mouse to win again.

Ron’s Rating: A-   Leigh’s Rating: A-




Weather

CANYON LAKE WEATHER

Facebook