You know the childhood classic. An orphan boy Mowgli (Neel Sethi) is raised in the jungle with a pack of wolves, a bear and a black panther. The trouble with wolves is that they grow so fast, while Mowgli… not so much. Yet he’s a man cub that will become a man, and a man is forbidden, explains Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba). He’s the vicious tiger who controls the jungle and asks the wolves ‘how many lives is a m an cub worth?’ Shere Khan wants Mowgli dismissed. Asap.
And so the wolves send Mowgli – in his crimson colored diaper – packing it up for the nearest man village. But it’s as if Mowgli’s more a cat with seven lives, given the amount of jungle obstacles he has to overcome. But when Baloo (Bill Murray) comes onto the scene, the movie’s tone shifts to a softer comic one. And some Bear-necessities kick in.
It’s a story of survival, courage, determination and believing in family. The film feels like The Lion King meets a bit of Discovery Channel. And the 3D is so realistic you can scratch a mosquito from the screen. The plot can be a bit scary at times (albeit realistic jungle situations) for children under the age of 8.
Some other voiced animals are Baheera (Ben Kingsley) Raksha (Lupita Nyong’o) Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) King Louie (Christopher Walken) and Ikki (Gary Shandling). It’s directed by Jon Favreau (Chef) who was originally an indie film favorite but has progressed steadily to mainstream with the likes of Ironman Franchise.