In Theaters Today: Disney's THE JUNGLE BOOK #Review

If you're a Disney fan, chances are you've heard about, and have been looking forward to, the release of Disney's THE JUNGLE BOOK. Well, the wait is over because the movie (which you can also see in 3D) is swinging into theaters today!

Take a look at this trailer.....

Directed by Jon Favreau ("Iron Man"), based on Rudyard Kipling's timeless stories and inspired by Disney's classic animated film, "The Jungle Book" is an all- new live-action adventure about Mowgli (played by newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who has been raised by a family of wolves. Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger, Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he has ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther turned stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley) and the free spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don't exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower; fire. The all-star cast also include Lupita Nyong'o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack's alpha male Akela. "The Jungle Book" seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.

****SPOILER ALERT- Stop reading now if you'd like to avoid potential spoilers****

What the Wigglesworths Thought:

The 4 of us were able to attend an advance screening of Disney's THE JUNGLE BOOK in 3D earlier this week.

Having seen the classic animated version a few times, we already knew what to expect as far as the story line was concerned, but I feel like we were all blown away with how it was presented in this film. There was a little more depth to the story, the scenery was breathtakingly magical, the blending of live-action and CGI was phenomenal, and all of the acting, especially that of newcomer Neel Sethi (Mowgli), was spectacular!

My emotions went on a bit of a ride with this film. I think as I get older, I get more "weepy" so when Mowgli was leaving his pack and Raksha was telling him he would always be hers, no matter what, I had to look away to avoid bawling like a baby. Then of course, there were more humorous scenes with Baloo and Mowgli and downright heart pounding scenes (pretty much anytime Shere Khan was present and when King Louie was trying to capture Mowgli).

We were warned that the film might be a little too much for younger viewers, but Drew (8) was okay and Reese (she was still 3 when we saw it) was mostly okay. Of course, I jumped quite a few times (don't remember doing that while watching the animated version), which caused both girls to break into giggles.

I almost didn't respond to the invitation to see this film for a few reasons, but mainly because I am the kind of person that questions why remakes need to happen and never find them as good as the original. This remake is one that definitely surpassed my expectations, and I am so glad that Drew's desire to see the movie convinced me to respond to the invitation. If you have been considering seeing the film, all 4 of us recommend doing so, but don't forget some parts might be a little overwhelming for younger (and maybe some older) viewers!