Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) must leave the only home he’s ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba) unleashes his mighty roar.

Guided by a no-nonsense panther (Ben Kingsley) and a free-spirited bear (Bill Murray), the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.

 

Review

“That Nomad Shad” – The much loved animated classic shed it’s skin and got a live-action CGI makeover. The film was one of MY most anticipated films of the year, but with Jon Favreau at the helm, it could go either way.

I’m glad to say that I LOVED this film. The film captures the tone of Kipling’s classic. If you liked the dark tones of his works, then you’re going to enjoy this re-imagining. The film blends light-hearted fun with a more serious tone almost seamlessly; creating a film that is entertaining to watch (…and it’s not a comic book film! YAY!).

The cast is near flawless! Idris Elba truly steals the show as the villainous Shere Khan,  the Bengal tiger hell-bent on killing Mowgli. Elba brings such strong presence to the character, one genuinely fears for Mowgli’s well-being (What the hell is he going to do against teeth and claws?!).

Newcomer Neel Seethi was the biggest concern I had heading into the film. Following the disastrous Last Airbender, my faith in young actors has waned. Neel does well as Mowgli, bringing a youthful wonderment to the silver screen. The thing that struck me about his performance is that one feels his lack of identity. He is the man cub who doesn’t belong in the jungle, the one with the tricks, the one that is different, the cuckoo (You’ll get this after you watch the movie). He is the boy that is out of a home.

The film is not without its flaws. There are several scenes that weren’t great and added very little to the film (I won’t mention because spoilers). Despite these flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and recommend it to everyone! 8/10

Please let us know if you’re looking forward to The Jungle Book, as it opening in South African theaters. Our next review will be for The Huntsman:Winter’s War.