THE JUNGLE BOOK REVIEW: Kipling's timeless classic on screen!

Some tales are timeless, last year’s Cinderella was one of them. This year we get Kipling’s classic retold to us. Not essentially anything new, but the appeal of The Jungle Book makes us curious one more time. The important word here is ‘retold’! Some classics can only be retold, not reinterpreted or restaged, which means absolutely nothing about the story is touched or changed, the original is that perfect.

Writing a review for such a movie is a relief, because you know that there can be no spoilers to give away. Everyone comes to this movie because they already know the story and want to see it one more time. So here we have our dear Mowgli, running through the jungle with his pack, training to be a good wolf, training to be fast enough to join the council. But, there is something about him that is different, he isn’t a wolf after all, but the wolves love him enough to see him as one of them. The alpha of the pack, Akela, keeps watch as Mowgli tries to fit in but invariably stands out, with his tricks. The jungle is quite accepting of the idea that a man cub is growing up amongst them, one guesses that is mostly to do with the reverence they have for Akela, more than the benevolence they have for the kid. But, there is one who has no reverence for Akella, or for anyone for that matter – the most powerful beast of the jungle, Sher Khan the tiger.

It is Sher khan against the wolves who want to protect the child. But, nature is so built that the underdog rarely has any chance in a fight. A mongoose always gets the better of a snake, a cat always catches the mouse, and so the wolves know that if it comes to a tooth and nail fight, they stand little chance against the might of the tiger. So they decide the wise way, until Sher Khan decides that their wise move was really stupid!

The best thing about this Jungle Book retelling is

the screenplay. Taut and swift, it wastes absolutely no time in getting down to the point. There is the obvious advantage that most audiences already know the characters well enough, and so the writers go straight to the central conflict after a few establishing minutes. Voice overs are used at exactly the right places to speed up the narrative and before you even know Sher Khan is chasing Mowgli through a grassland as a herd of wild bores run helter skelter, in one of the most arresting scenes of the film. You begin to think that the movie has gone into a serious tone and it does look so for a while with the dark jungle and a huge snake, but then out of the blue comes the most lovable character of the entire Jungle Book, Baloo. His arrival takes the movie to a fun level that it has not been to before. In fact, the brief period where it is just Mowgli and Baloo going after honey and preparing for ‘hibernation’ is perhaps the best passage of the movie. The lines written for Baloo are absolutely top notch, especially when he terms the ‘Law of the Jungle’ as ‘propaganda’!

We could go on all days about how adorable Baloo is in the movie, in the voice of Bill Murray. It is actually redemption of sorts for bears because they were being hated a lot after the mauling Di Caprio received in The Revenant. But, there are other characters too, like the ever reliable Bagheera, the loving mother in Raksha, the wolf pups and the elephants. You will really enjoy the way Raksha’s expression and voice have gelled together to give her that warmth on screen. Then, there is Neel Sethi who does a top job as Mowgli. But the director must have been careful with the body language. Some gestures and expressions obviously do not belong to the jungle, and are straight out of the city. And, some of the dialogues too could have been better. You get a feeling at times that too much is being said, when the proceedings on screen are obvious. Also, the King Louie episode is not as engaging as we think it might be, partly because the King breaks into a disjointed song in the middle of it. One also wonders how Mowgli is able to talk with most animals without any trouble, while monkeys (technically closest to him in evolutionary terms) can’t talk!

Well, these are just small things. This retelling of Jungle Book does absolute justice to the original

work and our memories of watching it on TV. The screenplay is fantastic, the animation is superlative, the story is timeless. Enjoy the Jungle Book one more time. 'The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf'!!

Genuine retelling of a timeless tale!

3.5/5

JUNGLE BOOK: The Return of Mowgli and friends!!

RELEASING TODAY

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Tomorrowland

Apocalypse is something dark and depressing! We have had numerous movies that have shown us in terrifying detail about how we can be wiped off the face of earth – thanks to Roland Emmerich in particular. Is it possible to be positive about apocalypse? Is it alright to be optimistic knowing very well that what is here today might not be the same tomorrow? Is it possible to think that world need not have an end and that we can find ways past it or around it? Tomorrowland introduces us to people who think that way, people who think that anything is possible.

It starts with a dash of humor, George Clooney addressing the audience, trying to narrate a story and

being constantly interrupted by a shrill sounding girl because in her opinion he is not being optimistic enough in his narration. So he tries to be optimistic and takes us to the 1964 World Trade Fair where he has his first brush with the other dimension and Athena. What changes his life more, The other dimension or Athena? Well, we don’t find out just yet because he can’t keep up the charade of optimism. So, the girl takes over with her genuinely optimistic story, her brush with the other dimension and again Athena. Their stories are separated by many years though. But, their brush with the other dimension was more or less identical. What is the other dimension and who is Athena?

Tomorrowland attempts a complex mix of fantasy and environmental reality, with the former taking the bulk of the screen time and the latter being a latent, sometimes ‘in your face’, message. The first half is almost entirely about Casey and her amazing adventure as she comes in contact with a ‘pin’ that she found mysteriously along with her belongings. She is one to go beyond barriers, break rules if necessary, and take wild risks if she thinks there is hope of seeing something special. So, she is not taken aback by this new experience, very much like Frank Walker many many years ago, and follows the trail to find more. What does she find? She finds Athena, or Athena finds her, and then they both find Frank Walker again. And, that is when Tomorrowland begins.

George Clooney re-enters the screen after nearly an hour. He is grumpy, unshaved and seems to have a very serious grouse against everyone he comes across, especially Athena. But, there is something that they both know that Casey does not. When she finds out, she is amazed; and one must admit, so are we! We get a rocket blasting off from the center of the Eiffel Tower, which is the visually the most fantastic scene of the movie, and we are transported to a land of which we only got glimpses earlier.

Tomorrowland wants to entertain which it does. At a visual level, the movie is a treat at times,

especially when we go to the other dimension. Of course, there are portions that look a bit cheesy, like a huge wall that seems to be made of red pointy stones, which makes us think whether the characters are having a dream or whether this is for real! But, more than the visual aspect, it is the characters that keep us anchored to the movie throughout. The genuine sense of belief and optimism shown by Casey, the never-flinching earnestness of Athena and the angry but ultimately dependable Frank – these are the things that make Tomorrowland worth your time. The three are different, very different, two of them *spoiler alert* may have felt something special for each other – which is later described as a fault in the ‘empathy interface’, but they are united by what they want to do, even though Casey has no idea what it is! There are dashes of humor in the way they interact with each other, there is a touching minute towards the end, all of which adds to the weight of the characters. But, Tomorrowland holds its cards very close to its chest. For most part of the film, we do not know what is going on, or what the protagonists want to accomplish, or why Commander Nix is the ‘bad man’, or is he a bad man or just a man who is doing what he believes is right? We only know that it has something to do with a parallel dimension where there is no politics and greed, only creativity and possibilities. A little more clarity on the what and how and why of the plot a little earlier in the script could have got us more strongly hooked. We do not know why there are random attacks on Casey, we do not know what exactly went wrong that Tomorrowland’s plans were put on hold for almost ever. The movie for most parts, rides on the strength of the characters , and it is a good thing that they’re really well etched.

Clooney is fabulous as the man whose life was derailed, and is consequently very very upset but is willing to go through the same grind again. He doesn’t bother with looking good, though he can still look good with minimum effort. Britt Robertson brings that energy and charm that Casey demands. But, if the movie belonged to someone, it has to Raffey Cassidy. *Spoiler Alert* To make the audience develop a connection to an animatronic takes a very talented actor, and here we have one. Love between a human and an animatronic is weird, love between a middle aged man and a teenager is pedophilia. Both are unpleasant things to watch on screen. But the writers and the actors find a way to make it look cute. That is what Tomorrowland is all about: a fantasy that doesn’t really delight in terms of narration, but draws you in by visual appeal, strength of the characters and some very polished performances. Yes, there is a subtle message about ‘feeding the right wolf’ which you might want to take home. It is one of those few movies that touch upon apocalypse and still remain ‘positive’.

 Tomorrowland: A positively inclined apocalypse-averting fantasy!

2.5/5

CINDERELLA

There are stories that we can listen to once, there are stories that we can listen to a few times, then there are stories that we can listen to over and over again without ever feeling tired or bored. What makes a story belong to that rarefied category? Maybe goodness, cheer and a happy ending. We will never know for sure what it is. Cinderella is one such story that has lived on for decades and still continues to be loved. We have read it when we were children, seen it as a cartoon, seen it in comics and now we see it as a movie. The greatest challenge while handling such a universally loved story is to give the audience a new experience while retaining the soul. And that is easier said than done.

Cinderella does leave the soul of the story untouched. It is about a girl who never changes the way she sees the world. No matter how badly the world treats her or how cruel destiny is, she remains kind and believes that there will be light. So, what is new this time in Cinderella? I must admit that I have not seen any full length features on Cinderella, nor do I know that if any were made at all. But, the visual tone and language adapted by Walt Disney this time seems to be one that wants to keep things as real as possible and give just that small hint of magic and splendor when required. That is not to say that frames of Cinderella are plain and unjoyful. They are serene and beautiful without ever being over the top. It is not like watching a giant unpainted canvas, but like looking at a canvas that has been gently touched upon by shades of mild colors. The visual tones of Cinderella are very much in tune with the moods of the protagonist itself. It moves from bright and happy to a bit mellow, but never depressing, showing just how much faith this girl has in her heart. It moves across to grandeur, splendor only when her life takes that decisive turn. It is this beautiful visual language that is one of the best things about Cinderella.

The other great thing about this movie is the casting. No big names, except Cate Blanchett, and that goes a long way in making the characters even more relatable. Lily James is just about the perfect choice for Cinderella, because she looks simple, innocent and is also able to look haloed when the time comes for it. It is her serene presence that forms the canvas on which this beautiful story is painted with gentle brushstrokes. Cinderella is a story of contrasts, no holds barred. There are people who are good at heart, and there are people who aren’t. There is no one in between. That contrast is exemplified none better than by Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) who thinks every moment only of ways to work things out to her advantage. The only doubt one has is whether she was always like this or became this way because of the hand life had dealt her. There might have been a temptation to tone down the meanness of her character in interest of contemporary tastes because current cinema deals in grey more than it does in black. But, the makers of Cinderella have kept her as mean as she was made to be in the original story. And, Cate Blanchett has played it with calculated coldness. Drisella and Ansatasia, similarly, are portrayed as nothing less than irritating bimbos, which makes us feel even more sorry for Cinderella. And, the Prince has to look charming and warm, and Richard Madden does so with consummate ease.

The best and the most wonderful part of the movie is also the one we all have loved over the years – the ball and the magic that makes Cinderella able to go to it. That scene has been perfected by the makers. Helena Bonham Carter proves that when it comes to certain roles, there is absolutely no one that can take her place. She is Cinderella’s ‘hairy dogfather’ or ‘fairy godmother’! And the transformation of the goose and the mice (who by the way are endearing presences throughout the film), and the lizards into her driver, horses and footmen is wonderful to watch, not to mention the beautiful carriage that emerges from the pumpkin. You could watch the movie just for this scene and the ‘first dance’ at the ball which is nothing short of being uncomplicatedly magical.

That is what Cinderella is all about! An age old much loved story that has been made into an uncomplicated, simple, visually wonderful film that does nothing to change the story. In the end it is about being kind, having courage and believing in just that little bit of magic. Relive your childhood, and introduce your children to one of the most beautiful stories of all time.

Sweetness and goodness redefined.

3.5/5