“Jungle Book” review: Another Disney triumph

Disney strikes gold again! Hot off the heels of their smash hit “Zootopia,” it delivers another stirring triumph, this time with a live-action film.

Director Jon Favreau’s “The Jungle Book” is not only one of the best family films of 2016; it is also one of the most riveting and visually stunning CGI experiences of all time.

Not since “Avatar” have I felt so fully immersed and captivated by a film’s landscape and scenery. I truly felt like I was transported to this jungle world.  Favreau does an exceptional job of paying homage to the classic 1967 Disney film,  yet still manages to stay true to Rudyard Kipling’s novel.

“The Jungle Book” tells the tale of Mowgli, a boy who is left alone in the jungle after his  father  is  killed. A wise and friendly panther Bagheera rescues Mowgli and leaves him in the care of a wolf pack, who raise Mowgli as one of their own.

When the boy grows up, a vicious tiger Shere Kahn starts hunting him believing that Mowgli will bring death and destruction to the jungle, like all the other men did before him.

The film manages to balance action and comedy with ease. One minute Mowgli escapes  a traitorous buffalo stampede, and the next he  sings the famous bear necessities along with Baloo.

Yes, all our  favorite songs are expertly inserted into the film. This could have been disastrous, but Favreau’s expertise as a director helped set the tone of the film prior to these moments. The singing moments fit nicely and do not feel out of place at all.

Another aspect of the film that deserves commenting is the character designs. Not since George Miller’s masterpiece “Babe Pig in the City,” have I truly felt moved by talking animals. Not only is the CGI is completely realistic;  the actors’ voices truly capture the essence of the characters they are voicing.

Christopher Walken’s performance as King Louie is hands down the greatest CGI performance since Andy Serkis portrayal of gollum in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings.” Not only does he steal the show,  but he manages to create a believable and palatable orangutan.  His facial expressions mixed with Walken’s distinct voice make for incredibly distinguished digital character.  

All of the other voice actors are exceptional as well. Bill Murray is a charming and charismatic Baloo, Lupita Nyong is a warm and tender mother wolf and Ben Kingsley plays a protective and dominant Bagheera.

The other standout is Idris Elba as the villainous Shere Kahn, who is my pick for the best villain of 2016. Shere Kahn will stop at nothing to kill Mowgli, and he will destroy any creature that gets in his way.

The sheer tenacity that Elba’s Kahn displays is frightening to behold. Whenever his character was on screen, I felt a sense of impending doom that no character was safe from his wrath.

First time actor Neel Sethi comes across believable and surprisingly confident as Mowgli. The only human character in the film, he fits in so well amongst his CGI counterparts. I am sure this will not be the last time we see him.

This is not the last animated film that Disney is remaking into a live action film.This summer,  we will see a live action version of “Pete’s Dragon,” and already in the works is a live action version of “Tinkerbell” starring Reese Witherspoon as the lead fairy.

Do not be surprised if Disney starts resurrecting more films from their extensive vault. They can confidently move forward with all these remakes because they have a recipe for success now. “The Jungle Book” is a proof with the right director, voice actors and storytellers  – “writers and animators.”

Disney is once again an unstoppable force in the film medium, and “The Jungle Book” is easily one of the best pictures of 2016 the whole family can enjoy.