The Jungle Book (2016), PG, ★★★1/2

Mowgli and Baloo.

There have been many versions of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book that have been adapted on film. The most infamous version is the 1967 Disney-animated version that had a musical and fun flare but had dated animation and an episodic structure onto its film that seem dated but I still enjoyed the movie because of a few songs and the characters, mostly Baloo and Bagheera. Bottom line, it's a good Disney movie but not a classic. And, a version that I think it's a guilty pleasure for myself but has nothing to do with the novel is the Stephen Sommers directed film starring Jason Scott Lee as Mowgli, Lena Headey, Cary Elwes, Sam Neill and John Cleese. It was entertaining at the very least but violent. Thanks to the stunning visuals that entrance you into the world of the jungle, this latest version is a marvel with some great talent supporting the material to fulfill my expectations.

The panther, Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley), narrates the beginning saying that there has been many stories in the jungle, unlike the man-cub, Mowgli's (Neel Sethi) story, who was abandoned as a baby and was raised by a herd of wolves, raised by Raksha (voiced by Lupita N'yongo). The jungle experiences a very dry season in which the animals come together to make a truce. Mowgli uses a shell of fruit to get water like a human and the wolf-pack leader, Akela (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito), warns him not to do that.

The crows begin to caw, signaling the presence of the massive and vicious tiger, Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba). Shere Khan has a little beef with Mowgli as he is opinionated, saying, that a man-cub does not belong in a jungle. Shere Khan vows to come for Mowgli once the river flows again. Akela and the wolves discuss Mowgli cannot be with them anymore despite Raksha's protests. So, Bagheera  volunteers to take him back to the man village.

After a fight with Shere Khan, Bagheera urges Mowgli to run and camouflage himself with a pack of buffaloes running from him. Mowgli is alone and meets the python, Kaa (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and is seduced by her hypnotic voice. But, Kaa is attacked and Mowgli escapes. He wakes up and meets the bear, Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray) who asks him to help him gather some honey above a cliff so he can prepare for his hibernation, of course. They hit it off and become good friends, but for how long?

Mowgli and Bagheera.

This is better than the 1967 animated version and I think it is the best of the recent live-action adaptations from the animated material which also includes Cinderella from last year, which I also thought was better than the animated version. I'll focus on the visuals in a minute but there is backstory to some of the characters including why Shere Khan is after Mowgli, which we did not get from the animated version. You can feel Shere Khan's wrath from his voice and his scarred face and he is a very scary computerized tiger. But, also the chemistry with him and Baloo is there as they have fun with each other and not go too much with the singing, which I hoped would not have happened but they balanced it right.

I have to give my props to Neel Sethi because he was the only live-action human on-screen and had to act off some stuff to make his reactions believable and his acting distinctive and real enough to capture the emotional chemistry with the animals. It worked especially in a scene between him and Raksha. The voice talent is wonderful with Bill Murray delivering the humor and emotion, Ben Kingsley voicing his presence being a no-nonsense panther, Scarlett Johansson with her seductive snaky voice (no pun intended), Christopher Walken with a joyful but dark presence and Idris Elba with a villainous and scary mission to kill the man-cub. They are all great.

It is all thanks to director Jon Favreau's work who has had a history with great visual effects from Iron Man and Elf. Maybe, he could do a Star Wars movie. I don't know. Replace Colin Trevorrow and let him do Star Wars: Episode IX. His precise and detailed vision of the jungle takes us into another place and I am sold that this was a real jungle. I did have a problem with a few minor things with a thing with the honey and maybe, I think there should have been two separate scenes with Kaa instead of one long, important scene. But, they are quibbles and nevertheless, this is a highly impressive and entertaining live-action adaptation from beginning to end that'll get families to enjoy themselves and be transformed into another place. It is the best of the live-action adaptations...so far. Beauty and the Beast comes out next year and it is one of my favorite Disney films ever. So...Disney...impress me next year.

***1/2