[BLU-RAY REVIEW] ‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)

When Disney announced they were doing a new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s novel The Jungle Book, I don’t think any of us were ready for what we would be presented with. The team at Disney took pieces of the animated classic and the novel and literally created a jungle world for them to live in. As you are watching The Jungle Book, it is easy to forget that everything is digitally created except for Mowgli.

I had a few minor issues with the movie but was blown away by the visuals and loved young Neel Sethi as Mowgli. It’s definitely a wonderful new Disney classic and one you will want to get on blu-ray starting August 30^th.

Bonus Features ✮✮✮

It may be I was spoiled, having recently reviewed The Angry Birds Movie blu-ray, which had stellar special features, but this blu-ray was just average. However, it was very interesting to hear the backstory to the amazing visuals of The Jungle Book. I still definitely think it is worth a purchase if you are a fan of the film.

• The Jungle Book Reimagined – A 35-minute film about the making of The Jungle Book. Goes into quite a bit of depth about the scripts they had, creating the realistic visuals, recording the songs and the experience of the voice cast. If you like behind-the-scenes info, you will enjoy this.
• I am Mowgli – A featurette with Neel Sethi about his casting and work on the film and how they were able to get the performance out of him.
• King Louie’s Temple: Layer by Layer – At just over 3 minutes, this is a brief look at the ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ song.
• Audio Commentary – Director Jon Favreau gives a commentary on the film.

Final Thoughts

The Jungle Book has been adapted for the big screen many times over the years. This year’s version is definitely the most sumptuous and visually stunning. It takes elements of the animated classic and the novel to make a special film that your family will really enjoy. The special features are fairly standard but enjoyable nonetheless.

Check out these special clips from The Jungle Book:

Edited by: Kelly Conley