Review of The Jungle Book

Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book may be the first live-action version of Rudyard Kipling's classic tale, but such a label might be a misnomer. Aside from Mowgli (Neel Sethi) and a few glimpses of live-action humans, this gorgeous motion picture was crafted entirely on a computer. And while it's a pastime of critics and movie buffs to bemoan the appearance of "too much CGI," it's impossible for anyone not to be awed by what Favreau, cinematographer Bill Pope, and the FX team have accomplished here. This is how you do it. The lush widescreen environments, impeccably rendered characters, and thrilling action sequences can compete with the most lavish summer blockbusters out there. But this Jungle Book wouldn't work as well as it does without a compelling storyline, near-perfect pacing, and a successful juggling of dark and jovial tones.

This isn't Mowgli's origin story, although we do receive a brief flashback during a scene when he stares into the eyes of the seductive python Kaa (Scarlett Johansson). The movie introduces us to Mowgli's life of literally being raised by wolves, including father Akela (Giancarlo Esposito) and mother Raksha (Lupita Nyongo). The panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), who found Mowgli long ago, tries his best to teach him discipline (consider him a Jedi Master of sorts), but the young boy is very impetuous. One day, during a "water truce," where all manner of animals gather at a watering hole during a drought and refuse to hunt one another, complications emerge. The bengal tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) seethes at the presence of a boy in the jungle, fearing that he will grow up to be as barbaric and bloodthirsty as most men. He will accept nothing less than the boy's death, but Bagheera nonetheless helps Mowgli escape. However, instead of the "Man Village" Mowgli is supposed to run toward, he falls into company with the wisecracking bear Baloo (Bill Murray).

What a cast! The Jungle Book boasts a hugely distinctive cast of vocal performers, all of whom work to perfection. This isn't a mere case of "spot the star" but well-defined, clearly-motivated characters brought to even greater life. Who would be a better match for Baloo's laid-back, jokey personality than Bill Murray? A more authoritative tone for Bagheera than Sir Ben Kingsley? A more menacing bass voice than Idris Elba for the villainous Shere Khan? And though the character only appears in one extended, thrilling sequence, Christopher Walken turns out to be an inspired choice for King Louie the orangutan. The actor's quirky mannerisms shine through as this version is a little more sinister and mafia-like than we're used to seeing (although not so much that he'll frighten kids). As for the only live-action actor in the cast, newcomer Neel Sethi is mostly convincing, though there are times when his delivery of lines is stiff. It's much more difficult than it looks for any actor, let alone a child actor, to interact entirely with special effects.

The Jungle Book pushes the limits of the PG-rating; it's unafraid to show animal-on-animal violence and death when need be, but it's by no means a joyless slog. The movie finds extra character dimension in Shere Khan, whose motivations and hatred of human hunters/colonizers we understand even though his plan would mean the death of our hero. The openly comedic scenes featuring Baloo are extremely welcome, and the movie retains two songs--albeit abbreviated-- from the 1967 animated feature ("The Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna Be Like You"). It is, after all, impossible to imagine The Jungle Book without these tunes, but Favreau integrates them with such success into this mostly serious adventure tale that we don't feel whiplash in the movie's change in tone.

The movie's vibrant, exciting brand of storytelling very much feels like a storybook come to life that its title implies. It can make us laugh one moment, make us shudder the next, and endlessly fuel our imaginations around every corner. From an awe-inspiring time lapse showing the change between seasons, to Shere Khan's memorable entrance (animals cower toward the sides of the frame as he appears in the center), to the amazing rendering of the chase and fight sequences, The Jungle Book represents the true power of CGI spectacle. And its message, that man and beast can exist in harmony by compliment one another with their unique talents while still holding respect for one another's customs, will resonate well with both children and adults. Whether this Jungle Book inspires a franchise is left to be seen, but for now, we have a thrilling adventure that moviegoers can savor with or without families in tow.

Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)