Rohan Chand is the name I start this with. The lead role and titular character of a Netflix original film, that as I will review here, was far more than expected. The main star was actually born in NYC and played little league baseball before catching the eye of casting directors. And sadly, you have to scroll almost to the bottom of the casting list to even see his name. This is more of the overt racism that still exists in the entertainment field. The movie is listed as starring Christian Bale, who I do love immensely as an actor, but there is no mention of the star's name, and as you will see, that is a true shame.
When I first saw the TV commercials, as a huge fan of the original Jungle Book movie, I somewhat dismissed this movie half-way. What I mean by that, is that it looked to be a continuation of events from the last real action movie, which intrigued me, and then with the presence of the original movie's villain- Shere Khan, I began to find that it was more of a retelling of events, which I was turned off to at this point. In all honesty, the last live action film from a few years ago gained my respect, and there were a few nuances that I had wished were more accentuated in the film, like the focus on real life issues with poachers and deforestation. There was a slight curiosity as to whether or not this film would explore that. Eventually, I decided to look into it since it cost me nothing. In fact, I really do like how Netflix is aggressively competing with movie theaters for blockbuster titles. It feels good to have high level production films available that you can look forward to seeing, that are available at your convenience at home or out and about.
What I noticed right away, was that the film was not as short as I expected being around 2 hours. Also, I noticed a different type of animation being used from the last film. I didn't know what to make of it at first, since the textures looked extremely lifelike, however the animations at first seemed stiffer. You are introduced at the start of the film to a much more dangerous and grisly looking version of Baloo the Bear. I was a bit put off by this, as he did not appear cuddly at all. In fact, he looked like he was a threat to maul Mowgli to death viciously in the outset. Bagera also looked quite fearsome. I usually appreciate more life-like models in films like this, but they looked more like horror costumes at first. As the film progressed, I started to appreciate the direction that they took with the animations. You are eventually introduced to the villainous tiger- Shere Khan and the monkey kingdom ruled by King Louis. This film was not as musical as the traditional Jungle Book movies, but it didn't really aim to be. It was a completely different angle.
There is much more of the back story of Mowgli and the events that transpired in the jungle prior, expounded upon. I really appreciated that. After the first half of the movie, I started to feel that it was dying off energy-wise, and then something amazing happened. The storytelling and acting suddenly hit a spike. The last half of the movie feels like they took and energy shot. Rohan's acting is nothing short of magnificent. He truly deserves praise for his work. And the storytelling by Kaa, the snake is also very well done, which I had wanted more of in the last film. Mowgli is eventually taken into captivity by a hunter/poacher, who obsesses with killing animals. He is hired by the human village to take down the tiger, but he enjoys killing other animals as well, including the childhood friend of Mowgli.
The emotion in the film, and the realism of the gap between Mowgli and the jungle, and humanity, was so palpable and believable, it gave me goosebumps. He truly conveys the spirit of a boy raised believing, no, Knowing that he is a wolf. The jungle is truly his home, and the pain he feels in being taken away is very real. He is urged to stay among man and adapt in order to survive, by Bagera, in what was one of the best speeches and scenes of the movie. You learn more about the back story of the supporting cast of characters as well. Eventually, Mowgli has to return to the jungle to fight for, as save it from the threat of man, not just the tiger, in what I really thought was a noteworthy and interesting twist.
Every tear and angry emotional outburst in this film from the star, felt extremely real. It never once felt like acting. To do something like that, is truly worthy of praise. The film in total, was very well cast, and Mowgli is worthy of the role. He has a truly authentic and yet very distinguished look that keeps your attention. His acting, as well as the costume design and cinematography are so well done, that every moment, particularly after the first half of the film, is captivating. And as I mentioned, the animation makes more and more sense. Shere Khan has a damaged right front paw in this movie, that seems weird, but more of the back story of his encounters with man are explained. And in this movie, he isn't the only danger. The danger of the competitive pack of wolves that Mowgli grows up with, is also conveyed, as Shere Khan is manipulative and uses it to his advantage at times. Akeela is the patriarch of the pack of wolves in the original story, and he is an aged wolf who leads the pack. In this film, you get to see the law of the pack which says that if the leader misses a hunt, he can be challenged by the pack for leadership, or something of that nature. The battle that occurs is quite real and jarring.
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