When you know the storyline of a film, you don’t typically go in with any reasonable expectation of being surprised. During this film, I was surprised again and again. I was surprised by how incredibly well each animal was animated. You almost instantly forget that these creatures have been created on a computer. The expressions on their faces are subtle enough to convey meaning without reducing the qualities that make them beasts. Each performance, from Sir Ben Kingsley’s Bagheera, to Christopher Walken’s “Colonel Kurtz meets The Godfather” King Louie, was an accomplishment. All of the talent was able to truly broadcast feeling and emotion using only their voices as their instrument.
I was surprised by how incredibly rich the jungle was displayed. I was able to see it in 3-D and it really was an immersive experience. Minute details were richly rendered in every frame and every corner of the screen. Everywhere you look brought on new amazement. So much so that I was actually shocked back into reality when I saw that the whole thing was filmed in Hollywood. If you have the option to see it in 3-D, lay out the few extra bucks and make it a priority. It’s excellent viewing.
The biggest surprise I had was how well star Neel Sethi not only held his own among acting powerhouses like Idris Elba (a snarling and terrifying Sheer Khan), Bill Murray (the carefree Baloo), Giancarlo Esposito (the paternal pack leader Akela) and academy award winner Lupita Nyong’o (his loving wolf mother Raksha). This 10 year old actor carried this film with his charm and immense talent while acting with actors who weren’t even there. You would never think that he wasn’t actually riding bears, running in terror from danger, or palling around with his wolf cub brothers.
The only thing I could have wanted more of in this film was a bit more Scarlett Johansson as the massive snake Kaa. This scene was immensely creepy and her voice played the disarming hypnotist perfectly. It was a shame that it was moderately short lived.
All in all this movie surprised me by how much I truly enjoyed it. As a parent I loved recognizing the subtext of raising a child to become an adult. That each father figure and his mother represented disparate parts of parenting that we all experience. But when all of those parts are nurtured and come together, your person is prepared to face anything. Something I spoke with the actors about. Check out my interview here.
Be sure to get out to see this movie. I brought my 9 year old and she absolutely loved it. With a few jump scares, it might be a bit much for some kids, but overall this movie was terrific.