Movie · 2016 · Family, Adventure, Fantasy · 1h 46m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.2/10 (713.7K ratings)
The legend comes to life.
Overview
After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli, a man-cub fostered by wolves, is forced to flee the jungle, and he embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera, and the free-spirited bear, Baloo.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.2/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.19/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Metacritic: 77
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Jon Favreau
Production
Walt Disney Pictures, Fairview Entertainment, Moving Picture Company
Cast
Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken, Lupita Nyong'o, Giancarlo Esposito, Garry Shandling, Emjay Anthony, Brighton Rose, Jon Favreau, Sam Raimi, Russell Peters, Max Favreau, Chloe Hechter, Asher Blinkoff, Knox Gagnon, Sasha Schreiber, Kai Schreiber
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually impressive, family-friendly adventure that largely succeeds on spectacle, atmosphere, and voice work, even if the emotional beats are a little thin and the CGI-heavy approach can feel emotionally distant. It’s one of the stronger Disney live-action remakes, especially for viewers who want a polished, immersive jungle journey.
Best for
families looking for a safe adventure film
viewers who enjoy lush visual effects and creature animation
fans of classic coming-of-age quest stories
audiences open to a lighter, nostalgic remake
Skip if
you need strong child acting or deeply human performances
you dislike heavily CGI-driven filmmaking
you want a bold reinterpretation rather than a polished remake
you prefer character-driven stories over spectacle
Overview
The Jungle Book is a rare live-action Disney remake that feels justified by the scale of the world it builds. The jungle is rendered with real care, and the animal performances, especially the voice casting, give the film a surprising amount of personality. It’s an easy watch, but not a disposable one: the adventure has enough momentum and visual invention to keep it engaging throughout.
Worth noting
What holds it back is the same thing that makes it impressive: the digital environment can feel a little too seamless, which leaves the movie emotionally cooler than it should be. Mowgli’s journey is clear and accessible, but the film is more effective as a sensory experience than as a deeply felt character drama.
Bottom line
Still, this is one of the better examples of a studio remake expanding its source material instead of merely copying it. If you want a family adventure with strong craft, memorable supporting voices, and a genuinely immersive setting, it’s worth the trip.
Top Letterboxd reviews
davidehrlich (2.5★) · 697 likes
Jon Favreau brings all the boys to the (Rud)yard, and they're like "what a rich visual feast in service of a decent adventure."
some problems:
- Mowgli can't act. excruciating. and his wolf parents are terribly underdeveloped
- for a film that's power is so dependent upon building a coherent world, Favreau may have been the wrong choice... there's a lot here that works minute-to-minute but fails to cohere into anything more, and the geographical issues get absurd towards the… more
👽hayley👽 (3.5★) · 557 likes
fuck lads a dont wanna sound like a furry but idris elba as shere khan is the sexiest piece of voice casting since jeremy irons as scar in the lion king
Karsten (3.5★) · 418 likes
Good date film. Few corny moments here and there but great adaptation.
George Carmi (4★) · 296 likes
Best Disney Live action remake? I still think so.
SilentDawn (4★) · 258 likes
80/100
Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book, a hybrid project of Kipling's original source material and the 1967 animated film, is a delicate story but a magnificent world. Almost entirely computer-generated, it's a wondrous dreamscape of sensations and textures - 3D is essential here - which evoke all the mythical, primordial emotion. Comparisons of recent pop-culture touchstones such as Avatar and Gravity have been tossed around, but Favreau's film feels vividly minor even with the heavenly sights and sounds. It's a… more
1988 · Adventure, Drama, Family · 1h 37m · PG · Curator 7.1/10 (37.7K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A nature adventure that emphasizes animal perspective, environment, and emotional attachment.