The Bare Necessities of a Modern Remake

 Can they recapture the magic of the original? They “Shere Khan!”

There is a common complaint about movies today - that too many of them are either a sequel or a remake or hybrid of the two. So when we heard that both Disney and Warner Bros. would be releasing live-action versions of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Books, many rolled their eyes, thinking we’d be getting more of the same. 

The first of these modern adaptations to be released is Disney’s version, which is more of a remake of their 1967 animated classic, right down to the plot and the songs. And while they are walking through some familiar territory, there is still an… “elephant” of surprise (sorry, that’ll be the last one). So how does this new version hold up against the original?

THE STORY

The main premise of the story remains largely the same; Mowgli, the man cub raised by wolves, must be returned to the village to keep him safe from the hateful tiger, Shere Khan. Along the way, Mowgli and his protector, Bagheera the panther meet a collection of colourful characters, including the beloved Baloo and the swinging King Louie. The difference between the original and the remake is the darker tone, which is thanks to the greater threat that Shere Khan presents (but we’ll get to that later). There are also some scenes and side characters added, like when Baloo has Mowgli help him gather some honey, which through song he claims was made “just for me”. On top of this, some of the plot points are switched around slightly, but overall, the story remains the largely the same, with just some small changes.

MOWGLI, THE MAN CUB

played by Neel Sethi

Neel Sethi is a newcomer to the acting world, and he does a fantastic job in capturing the fiery deviance of Mowgli, while also interacting with a cast of CGI characters convincingly. This version of Mowgli is shown to be more resourceful than his animated counterpart, often fashioning himself an array of tools with vines and stones. At first, this makes him a bit of an outsider amongst the animals he lives with, but ultimately it’s this human ingenuity that helps him come out on top.

BAGHEERA, THE PANTHER

played by Sir Ben Kingsley  

Bagheera remains largely the same, except perhaps being a bit more stern, but this is to be expected with this jungle being more dangerous than the cartoon one. This Bagheera also has a more active role in the film, as he doesn’t just babysit the man cub, but he actually crosses claws with Shere Khan to protect him. Ben Kingsley provides the voice, and it is one of the most perfect castings of this remake, as he is able to bring the warmth of the character as well as the ferociously of a jungle cat when it is needed.

BALOO, THE BEAR

played by Bill Murray

This new version of Baloo is even more laid-back than the original, if that’s possible. While the animated version moves around a lot and is very mobile, the live-action one likes to take things a bit slower, which is fitting, since he’s a sloth bear. But when Mowgli gets put in danger, he bounces into action and gains some humility, which Bill Murray conveys amazingly through his performance.

RAKSHA & AKELA, THE WOLVES

played by Lupita Nyong’o & Giancarlo Esposito

The wolves only make a brief appearance at the beginning of the animated version. In the remake, they are more central to the story, particularly Raksha, as we see her in pain after losing her man cub. Akela, who is now the adoptive father of Mowgli as well as the alpha male, doesn’t have as much screen time as Raksha, but still has a significant impact on the story.

THE ELEPHANTS

played by… elephants, I guess?

Here’s where I was a bit disappointed with the new version. Colonel Hathi and his Dawn Patrol were one of my personal favourites from the original. But the elephants in this film are not just non-militant, they’re non-verbal. At least when they turn up, it’s always a big deal, as the other animals show great respect to them, as their size and strength is said to cut through the trees and reroute the rivers. Still, I would’ve liked them to see them march “in a military style.”

KAA, THE SNAKE

played by Scarlett Johansson

Perhaps one of the most changed characters, as Kaa has been gender-swapped, which will be a recurring theme, as Warner Bros. has cast Cate Blanchett for their adaptation. Unfortunately, this is another instance where a character’s screen time has been cut down from the original, as Kaa only appears in one scene. Thankfully, this scene is superbly done, with Scarlett Johansson’s sultry tones providing some backstory for Shere Khan. In addition to this, she also does a cover of Trust in Me for the end credits, which sounds like it should be the next Bond theme.

KING LOUIE, THE ORANGUTAN GIGANTOPITHECUS

played by Christopher Walken

Oh, this was one I was looking forward to. As soon as it was announced that Christopher Walken was playing King Louie, I couldn’t help but think what his version of I Wan’na Be Like You would be like. And it did not disappoint, as it was as ridiculous as I hoped. The main difference between the animated version and the live-action version is the change of species; as orangutans aren’t native to India, they changed King Louie to a Gigantopithecus - a big ape with an even bigger name, which they manage to incorporate into a new verse of I Wan’na Be Like You. Twice. Whoever managed to do that deserves a raise.

SHERE KHAN, THE TIGER

played by Idris Elba  

While the animated version of Shere Khan only appeared in the second half of the original, his live-action counterpart is there from the beginning, and is arguably more menacing than he has ever been. His arrival is heralded by vultures (who no longer resemble the Beatles), he usurps control of the wolf pack, and is shown to have a more personal grudge towards Mowgli. This, along with the terrifying tones of Idris Elba makes for one great villain.

THE VERDICT

 

The Jungle Book was one of many Disney films I remember fondly from my childhood, so I went in hoping for great things from this new version. And while there were a couple of changes I was a bit disappointed with, I’m glad that it wasn’t just a carbon copy of the original. The changes that worked for me were the ones that added more depth to the characters and the conflict between Mowgli and Shere Khan, which made the climax all the better.

On the way out of the cinema, I got to talking with a mother of two, who like me had grown up with the original. “It was like seeing an old friend,” she said, “While you could see that it had changed, you could still what you remembered from the good old days.” She went on to talk on about how her young kids had not yet seen the original; “It’ll be interesting to see which they prefer. There’s still so much of the original in this new one, they might not be able to tell the difference.” 

I also spoke with one of the Cineworld employees, who commented on those attending the showings. “You’d think that it would be mostly families watching,” he said as he ripped tickets to allow the next wave of movie patrons through, “But it’s actually mostly an adult audience, you know, those who grew up with the cartoon one. I guess it’s the nostalgia.”

And that seems to be the main thing influence the current wave of sequels and remakes flooding cinemas these days; the nostalgia value. People complain that it’s just Hollywood executives rehashing what’s come before, but this remake of The Jungle Book helps show that there’s always a new way to tell a story. And so long as they’re done as well as it was here, then I say, bring ‘em on.

All we have to do now is wait for Warner Bros’ version.

Disney’s The Jungle Book is now showing in theatres.