Blu-ray Movie Reviews

So I guess revisiting in live action the catalog of Disney animated classics is officially a thing now. And that’s fine, if they can all manage to be as good as director Jon Favreau’s astutely conceived, beautifully realized take on The Jungle Book. The story here is different enough from the popular 1967 version to make the tale of man-cub Mowgli (endearing newcomer Neel Sethi) fresh and worth watching all over again. He’s been raised by wolves and lives happily among the animals until a ferocious tiger sets his sights on the boy, sending brave Mowgli on a dangerous journey back to the world of man. Yes, there are a couple of familiar songs along the way, but plenty of surprises as well, in addition to some rough beast-on-beast combat that might frighten the little ones.

Incredibly, the movie was shot entirely on soundstages in Los Angeles, while the anatomically correct, photorealistic denizens of the jungle were brought to life with spectacularly lifelike computer graphics. The image was captured digitally (in 3D; no 3D disc announced), and this gorgeous 1080p 1.85:1 presentation all but fills the 16:9 screen with crystal-clear visions of faux-nature. Focus is deep, revealing wondrous detail in the scenery, as even misty locales brim with atmosphere. Rich shadows surrender tidbits of picture information when needed, and the pains- takingly tweaked color palette is often subdued, with Mowgli’s bold red loincloth looking punchy against the greens, yellows, and browns.

The 7.1-channel DTS-HD Master Audio handily renders the 360-degree life-as-usual in the wild, and in more dramatic moments ably re-creates an approaching attack or a swarm of bees or rain and thunder. Scarlett Johansson’s voice is even more hypnotic as it hops from speaker to speaker as Kaa the python lures its innocent prey. The march of the elephants is somewhat light on bass, but a mudslide soon after brings enough low end to wake the neighbors.

An extended conversation between Favreau, visual effects supervisor Robert Legato, and producer Brigham Taylor offers a broad yet somewhat cursory overview of the elaborate undertaking. A companion featurette, however, briskly breaks down the scene in King Louie’s temple to reveal the distinct layers of work required to make it all so convincing. We’re also properly intro- duced to the talented young star, but the best bonus might be the director’s commentary, as the steadfast and engaging Mr. F. shares a wealth of background and firsthand experience. This recommended package includes a DVD as well as a Disney Movies Anywhere Digital Copy.

Blu-Ray
Stiudio: Disney, 2016
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Length: 106 mins.
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley