It's often customary for audiences to dwell on their fair share of skepticism anytime news of a remade classic surfaces, but doubt not, for helmer Jon Favreau's "The Jungle Book" resuscitates our adolescence like no other.
Originally Rudyard Kipling's storybook classic, "The Jungle Book" welcomes us back into the jungle through the suspenseful shot of our young, surprisingly non white-washed Mowgli (Neel Sethi) darting away from a rapidly approaching predator. To our nostalgia's satisfaction, the chase lets up as our young hero is pinned to the ground by the esteemed Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), Mowgli's black panther rescuer-turned-mentor, after a practice run against his wolf brethren.
Taken back to the wolf pack that has since adopted Mowgli, we are introduced to our ensemble cast in what can only be explained as some of the most gorgeous CGI to date. Lupita Nyong'o and Giancarlo Esposito play wolves Raksha and Akela, Mowgli's respective mother and father figures.
Just when I thought I couldn't be more captivated by the beautiful cinematography before me (really, the entire jungle came to life), Idris Elba struts down center frame, bringing new life to Shere Khan, our omnipotent and villainous tiger, who wastes no time laying down an ultimatum: give him Mowgli by the end of the dry season or else…
Later, upon hearing that Mowgli has left the jungle, a furious Shere Khan wreaks havoc on the wolf pack, establishing his dominion over the territory until Mowgli is brought back to him.
Through a series of thrilling action sequences, we follow Mowgli as he escapes predators like Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) the hypnotizing serpent, and King Louie (Christopher Walken) the power-hungry orangutan, while also befriending our favorite big bear Baloo (Bill Murray) on his quest to find mankind.
Though the film's quality allowed my adolescence the satisfaction it always searches for in famous remakes, the entire "Jungle Book" experience was so captivating that I didn't need to be reminded of the original to enjoy the storytelling. The musical numbers may have seemed slightly ill-fitting amidst the narrative, but were quickly forgiven and forgotten by the next scene.
The film would be nothing, however, without the stunning and demanding performances of both Kingsley and Elba, who each command the screen with the ferocity of the King of the Jungle. However, it was clear within minutes that Murray's Baloo secured the spot for audience favorite, snagging laughs left and right on every punchline Justin Marks had written for him.
Though I'm not sure how much magic fairy dust Disney had to sprinkle on CGI technology for a live-action motion picture to feel this beautiful, it was worth every ounce.
Favreau's masterful vision coupled with CGI are as entrancing as Kaa's venomous lure, resulting in the scintillating Disney remake that proves itself to be one for, well, the storybooks.
"The Jungle Book" opens Apr. 15, 2016. Watch the trailer below.
Reach Staff Reporter Sahil Kaur here.
Annenberg Media