Masters of Storytelling: The Jungle Book

Can I just say that I love when a movie debuts and gathers more of an audience than expected? I really do; I love to see movies succeed. The Jungle Book, Disney’s latest release, unexpectedly blew everything out of the water with a $103.6 million opening weekend and dominated the box office for a second week against such heavily marketed titles such as The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Some of you may not care very much about the figures. I understand that. Once upon a time I didn’t care much about the revenue or the box office standings either. And in all honesty, revenue isn’t everything. However, in this case, I think the figures help support the fact that this is a story worth seeing. 

Now, personally, my brother and I grew up on the Disney animated classic movies. I still remember moments from the 1967 version of The Jungle Book, but it’s the music that tends to stick out more than the storyline. I can honestly say that is not the case for this reworking of the classic. The iconic songs have been woven into the story, but that is no longer what stands out. The view of the jungle and all its various animals are the first sights seen, and it is truly breathtaking. It seems almost impossible that it was all shot on a sound stage in Los Angeles because you feel immersed in this beautiful jungle with its vibrant colors and wildlife. 

The settling, while beautiful, though, is not the most striking aspect of this movie. When you can get past the motion capture and the CGI, you find yourself immersed in the story of a young boy who has grown up in the jungle. On the surface, Mowgli may not seem like a very identifiable character. I mean, I don’t know many people who were raised by wolves. However, he’s the only one of his kind, and even before Shere Khan enters the picture, you realize that he is a lonely kid. He is not a wolf, and he cannot be one no matter how hard he tries. When his life is threatened, he finds friends to help him along, and he faces a few more threats along the way. At the end of the day, though, it is about a kid who learns to be himself. It is about community and coming together. It’s about how we’re different individuals but somehow whenever we come together, we draw strength not just from ourselves but from those people who stand beside us. 

I could probably ramble about this movie for a little longer. It brought back childhood memories. It was visually captivating. The characterization of each animal we meet is well developed, and I even love how we see several human objects described through the eyes of animals. Most of all, though, I love the story of the lonely kid. The kid who learns about fear and courage and acceptance and fights his way through to the end. I hope you guys watch The Jungle Book and help it have another successful weekend because I believe it to be a story worth seeing.