✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
United Kingdom, United States · 2016
Rated PG · 1h 46m
Director Jon Favreau
Starring Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba
Genre Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
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A man-cub named Mowgli fostered by wolves. After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli is forced to flee the jungle, by which he embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera and the free-spirited bear, Baloo.
It’s a testament to the total-immersion powers of The Jungle Book, from its visual splendors to its sound design, that the seams never show; even more impressive is the film’s use of its craft not merely to dazzle us but also to further its dramatic agenda.
Maintaining the buoyant heartbeat beneath all the digital flash, Favreau never loses sight of the fact that he’s making an adventure story for children.
If only all blockbusters could be this exciting, engrossing, and beautiful.
Time Out London by Cath Clarke
This Jungle Book has the bare necessities, and then some.
Wonderful to look at, this is a more adult, more complex affair than its animated, and more entertaining, forebear. Still, it’s Disney’s best live-action adaptation yet.
While there is the odd bum note, The Jungle Book is an immersive, visually breathtaking family adventure and a welcome addition to their new spate of live-action reimaginings.
The Telegraph by Robbie Collin
Favreau’s film is a sincere and full-hearted adaptation that returns to Kipling for fresh inspiration, but also knows which elements of the animation are basically now gospel, and comes up with a respectful reconciliation of the two.
The strikingly realistic scenery is dappled with color, light and shadow to create dramatic stages for masterful character animations— if only the story played out on this impeccably-realized fantasy had the same persuasive command.
Screen International by Sarah Ward
Conjuring up a serving of visual magic is one thing, of course; bringing Kipling’s characters and narrative to life is another.
The Hollywood Reporter by Todd McCarthy
Even as the drama and its treatment become increasingly conventional and familiar as the film moves toward its patly (and arguably overly) audience-pleasing wrap-up, the exceptional visual quality and lifelike animal renditions remain stunning throughout.
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This isn't the Jungle Book you watched as a child. In a much more grown-up, complex take on the Disney classic, viewers who grew up with the story will love the background and depth given to the story. Adding to the story's new darkness are the visually stunning effects and animation that immerse you in the same world you remember, but a world that grew up with you.