I want to start off by saying I am not a Jungle Book purist, but I am a fan of the book and I don't feel that any adaptation has been THE ONE yet. That said I loved this movie! It was fun, the world was vibrant and lush and it felt alive and ancient, the voice acting was phenomenal, Neel Sethi did a great job as Mowgli (Even if he did shout his lines worse than Dora and Diego combined), and I loved the edginess they added to the film.
But this is the internet and I am a critic so it can't be all sunshine and rainbows. The few things that don't work are Scarlett Johansson's Kaa and Giancarlo Esposito's Akela. Both of these characters feel underdeveloped. Also the message of the film is muddled.
Kaa is only there to provide flashback exposition. In the books Kaa is all over the place assisting Mowgli and friends (and trying to eat him) Heck even the Jason Scott Lee version had him as a fearsome foe, in this she appears gives some exposition and then fight Baloo off screen. Seems like a waste of an A-list actress.
Akela, likewise doesn't have a lot of screen time. In the books he is Mowgli's great defender, Shere Kahn needs a whole pack of young wolves to try to depose him and his connection to Mowgli is so strong that when he eventually dies it is the driving force for Mowgli to leave the jungle for good. In the film he isn't given enough interactions with Mowgli to form a strong connection,and thus the audience as an extension of Mowgli, we miss out on what could've been a strong paternal character.
Lastly the message of the film seems to warn of the dangers of man's use of fire and the animals fear of it's destructive power...but like in the 1967 version it is used and the destruction is kinda glossed over and there is no consequence to Mowgli for using it. I feel like his use of the Red Flower is the final litchpin in seperating him from his jungle brethren and transitioning him to humanity...but in this it is a means to an end and really nothing is learned from it. Also there is one throw away line by Lupita Nyong'o's Raksha that seems to hint at Shere Khan breaking the law of the jungle by Killing for pleasure but this is not really fleshed out.
The bottom line is this is a fun movie with lots of heart. The CGI is incredible, the actors are amazing, and the world is teeming with life. It's not a perfect adaptation but it's a helluva tale to spin.
Thanks for reading. Be sure to leave me a comment telling me what you thought of the film. As always you can follow me on twitter @manuelmendiola and be sure to subscribe to Chamorro Cinema on YouTube! Check back often for all your NERDTASTIC NEWS WITH AN ISLAND VIEW!