No monkeying around

By: Matt McDonald, Contributing Writer

When Disney announced that there was going to be a live-action “Jungle Book” remake, most fans of the original classic were suspicious of whether it would live up to the expectations.

After its opening weekend, however, there is no debate: the new version does justice to its predecessor.

“The Jungle Book” details the struggle of a young boy named Mowgli, who lives in the jungle under protection of a wolf pack.

He tries to find his identity either as a “man-cub” who will forever live in the jungle, or simply as a man—which all jungle animals fear.

Mowgli doesn’t want to abandon the jungle where he was raised, but he must make a decision after Shere Khan, a feared and vicious tiger, threatens the safety of the wolf pack in which Mowgli was raised.

Mowgli leaves the pack and begins the difficult endeavor of finding his place in the world among vultures, elephants and dangerous orangutans.

Help comes not only from his guardian, Bagheera, but also from a new friend Mowgli meets along the way: a bear named Baloo.

Together, Baloo and Bagheera watch over Mowgli as they urge him to find his own people before the spread of fire known as man’s “red flower,” or the wrath of Shere Khan.

Between its classic Disney songs, lovable characters, and the harmonious mix of nostalgia and reality, this movie won over audiences and critics alike.

In today’s world of CGI, it made a seamless transition from colorful sketches to authentic representations of animals and their environment.

Those who know the original story will be fulfilled as they watch the same story come to life, expanded to give each scene its own importance, and listen to their childhood songs reborn.

“The Jungle Book” has received raving reviews, earning a perfect 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and pulled in a large sum at the box office—its opening weekend totaling $103 million in the U.S. alone.

With a star-studded cast along with it, this movie was bound to raise the bar in live-action Disney movies.

After hearing of its stellar execution, I knew I needed to see this movie. Whether it was the thorough story or the extremely vivid scenery, my expectations pale in comparison.

“The Jungle Book” is visually stunning and terrifyingly beautiful, and in accord with Rotten Tomatoes, I give it a solid 10/10 stars.

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