The Jungle Book (2016)

[Greg]

Hey, it's the Jungle Book without all that silly singing and done in an ultra-realistic style.

Well, there is a bit of singing and it was very enjoyable. We all know the story. Mowlgi is raised by wolves. Shir Kan needs to kill him. He befriends Baloo. He meets King Louie.

All the stories are here. Scarlet Johansson gets to play Kaa. Idris Elba is in it. Bill Murray plays Baloo. But the best by far is Christopher Walken as King Louie. I loved those scenes and the bit he does for the end credits. Actually, all the end credits are superb. It should be released as a short by itself. Although, it's mostly the animators just showing off.

Although, it is supposed to be a live action version of the film, the only live character in it is Mowgli. Everything else is CGI. I spent a lot of my time asking how did they do certain things rather than following the story.

For an airplane movie, it was pretty good. Probably looked gorgeous on the big screen. My iPad did want to quit playing it and I had to swap it for another rental.

Yes, I'm waiting for someone to give the link to show where this has already been reviewed.

[Drunk Monk]

I luv the original. So the lack of music and charm was disappointing, particularly the exclusion of the vultures (my fav characters). And I didn't like Mowgli, but gotta give the kid free because he was acting against actors in mocap suits. But the voice casting was excellent - Murray, Walken, and my dear ScarJo redeemed it, on top of the stunning CGI.

[Drunk Monk]

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)
Netflix
Didn't we just do this "lone live-action actor in CGI Kipling" thing?  Remember when there was like only a few CGI characters like Jar Jar?  Everything's turned around now.  I am confuzzled.

This version is by Gollum, who directs and voices Baloo.  Christian Bale is Bagheera.  Cate is Kaa (just when you think she couldn't vamp/ham it up any more than Hela).  And the best touch, Cumberbach as Shere Khan.  There's a weird moment when Mowgli is yelling "Khhhaaaaaannn!" ala Kirk when I got really confuzzled.

This is a darker Mowgli.  It's gollum's take, after all.  Not funny, no songs or dances.  The scenes are all dark and shadowy.  There's blood and fangs, lots of fangs, a veritable fang fest.  It wanes philosophic in that 'way of the jungle' schtick.  There were even a few emotional moments along those lines.  I'm not sure that I'd recommend it but it was diverting and I'd rank it among one of the better Disney reduxes, mostly because it's such a drastic spin on the story and yet it kinda works.