Publisher: Disney
Ages: four and up
Parental
Advisory:
None
By constantly
rejuvenating its animated
classics, Disney has become a sequel
king. Dig a popular classic from the vault;
dust it off; write a new story and add
some
characters; and animate it, and it's
ready for DVD or even theaters. In this
regard, Walt Disney Pictures' The Jungle Book 2 is a fairly entertaining
film that evokes the characters and mood of the original Jungle Book, but
pales when compared to the original. DVD extras are rather sparse, but the
title is first rate family entertainment.
Only remotely based on Rudyard Kipling's book of the same title, Disney's 1967 Jungle Book movie is an animated classic. While the combination buddy and road picture was somewhat weak on plot, it featured a cast of compelling characters; great animation; a fun, lush jungle setting; and a jazzy score that at its best, featured the infectious voice talents of Louie Prima. The Jungle Book 2, under the excellent direction of Steve Trenbirth, does its best to ride such considerable coattails, but mostly coasts on cruise control.
The film begins after the first movie when Mowgli (voice by Haley Joel Osment) is torn between the world of the man village and the jungle. Now living in the village, the former boy of the wild has a young stepbrother and a friend, Shanti, the girl who first attracted Mowgli to the village at the end of the first movie. The village brings new friends and experiences, but takes away Mowgli's freedom and keeps him from his jungle friends, in particular, Baloo the bear (voice by John Goodman). When the original villain from the first film, the tiger Shere Khan, returns to kill Mowgli, his jungle and village friends team-up to try and save him.
The filmmakers successfully recreate the fun jungle world of the first film. The film and its story feel much like a logical extension of the first movie, even though the animation and visual style are different. The present-day animators had new tools to help them create a lush and convincing jungle with impressive lighting effects.
If characters were the first movie's strength, The Jungle Book 2 convincingly revives them all, with the notable exception of Prima's King Louie, who doesn't make an appearance. At its core, and with a talented animation team that stays true to the original film, the lovable Baloo returns, this time, with John Goodman as his voice. And other key characters, which include Shere Khan, Kaa, Bagheera, the vultures, and Colonel Hathi, all make entertaining appearances. The film features good musical numbers that evoke the jazzy rhythms of those in the original film, but the segments seem to recycle lots of visuals from other Disney films.
Because the film saw theatrical release, its animation and production values are superior to "direct-to-video/DVD" features. The DVD include a maze game and sing-along options that display the words of songs as they play. The best extra is a short segment that gives some background behind the creation of the film.
The producers of The Jungle Book 2 can be proud of the fact that they captured the bare necessities to carry a Jungle Book sequel. The Disney touch is evident and the film is fairly good, but the second trip through the jungle is not nearly as much fun as the first.
8/21/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
