"Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle"

A new adventure drama film released in early December 2018 entitled Mowgli or the complete title Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle. This film directed by Andi Serkis with a screenplay by Callie Kloves. 

The story that raised in this film based on stories collected in All the Mowgli Stories by Rudyard Kipling. In 2016, the same genre of film was released in the film industry with the title The Jungle Book, this film also adapted from a collection of stories by Rudyard Kipling. There are similarities in the names of characters, only a few are different and the settings and plot of both are quite different. 

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is a film that has been bought by Netflix for distribution rights from Warner Bros. The film is played by Rohan Chand as Mowgli, Matthew Rhys as John Lockwood a colonial hunter, Freida Pinto as Messua. Meanwhile, voice actors for the animal character in the movie are Christian Bale as Bagheera, Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan. Cate Blanchett as Kaa, Andy Serkis as Baloo, and Peter Mulan as Akela. The jungle was chosen as the main place setting of this film.

    The story begins in a forest where chaos was caused by a very barbaric tiger named Shere Khan. For the chaos, he made this caused human death. This tragedy leaves baby boys who survived and are still alive. This baby was then secured by Bagheera, a black panther type animal. Bagheera took him to the territory of the wolves. This is where Mowgli grows and was raised. 

This pack of wolves was led by Akela, the oldest wolf. Apparently, Share Khan is a barbaric tiger who does not like this, he does not allow a human child to live in the middle of the forest, he intends to kill little Mowgli as he did to Mowgli's parents. But Share Khan's desire was opposed by Nisha, a female wolf who had decided to adopt Mowgli to be her child and would raise him like a wolf in general. Share Khan left and promised one day he would come back again.

It turned out that the existence of Mowgli who played by Rohan Chand caused problems for the pack of wolves. This is where the touching heart parts of the film Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle begins. Every day Mowgli is always trained to be like other wolves. This is Mowgli's struggle to be recognized as part of a wolves pack. Akela promises that as long as he is alive he will always protect Mowgli as long as Mowgli promises to stay alive like a wolf. A pack of wolves had an oath not to use the ways of life used by humans. 

Then Mowgli did this it meant that Mowgli was not part of the wolf. And this was a very tearful part when Mowgli struggled at the final level to become part of a pack of wolves but was foiled by Bagheera because he wanted Mowgli to return to the humans avoiding the return attack of Share Khan.

 At the climax of the film's story when Akela gets an attack from Sheer Khan and Mowgli intends to help her with a torch, human equipment actually makes Akela and the pack of wolves disappointed. Mowgli went to the human village. The departure of Mowgli to the human village did not make the pack of wolves and jungle better. Sheer Khan continues to do mischief. 

Mowgli returned to the forest and killed Sheer Khan with the help of jungle dwellers like Bagheera, Baloo, a pack of wolves and elephants who had petrified Mowgli from the pursuit of Shere Khan. And this is another sad scene when Akela is killed while helping Mowgli against Shere Khan. Sheer Khan was killed in the hands of Mowgli.

The acting of the actress was very charming. Each character really animates their respective roles. Of course not only the cast of human figures that deserves a thumb up. The voice actors of various animal characters are no less great. Their voices are truly deep so they are able to wash away the atmosphere. The cast of the main character in this film Mowgli gives a special impression to the audience. Rohan Chand the way he plays his role is very nice and stunning. How he displays his emotions is truly second to none. 

As for animal characters like Bagheera, Baloo, Sheer Khan, their voices are very good. Voices in this film have performed their roles well. It is in accordance with the character it carries. Although indeed the adaptation film from Jungle Book is very different from other adaptation films. This film presents a new colour and atmosphere. This version of the film is very brave and more sinister than the previous versions. This film presents a darker atmosphere. If usually this kind of film can be enjoyed by children. Maybe for this one version is not suitable for them.   

A film will not be alive if there is no background music. Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, the selected music is quite appropriate. Taking the nuances of India, the music presented is adapted to the culture of the local State. Backsound music that is very interesting and imprinted on the heart is when the scene of a large elephant saves Mowgli. Music can represent a tense atmosphere. So with other scenes that have corresponded to the selected music background.

Forest was chosen as the place setting that dominated this film. This is in accordance with the title chosen Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle. In addition, there are several places other than forests, houses. The depiction of the houses of the population is still lacking because they do not directly show the houses even though they have described the activities they are working on. For the colour of the depiction the animation looks too dark. This makes the impression of the film to be so creepy. There are some scenes that lightning is very lacking so it looks so dark that some objects look unclear.

The character depiction also looks a bit strange and creepy than the original animals in general. Compared to other films related to Mowgli and the jungle, this version depicts the chosen character look older.  For the movement of the animated characters the animal is quite smooth and looks real. It's just that the depiction of the snake and some of the tiger scenes at the beginning of the story and the setting in the forest are somewhat strange and less real. The costume used by the main cast Mowgli is in accordance with the character played by the jungle to make his body dirty and unkempt. Then the frizzy curly hair adds to the distinctiveness of being a human child Mowgli who grew up in the jungle.   

The film is full of emotional moments. Many scenes presented in this film will drain tears. Mowgli: Legend of The Jungle makes Feeling so real the struggle of a Mowgli in finding his true identity. The deep feelings of friendship and affection gave by Bagheera, Baloo and pack of wolves to Mowgli were truly moving. Where when Bagheera did Mowgli like his own brother made emotions. In addition, the film will always be tense when wild tiger Sheer Khan wants to try to kill Mowgli.   

This film must be watched, there is a moral value that will be obtained. I recommend that this film not be watched by young children because the film is a bit creepy and tense for their age.  Overall, the film is suitable for teenagers to adults who will teach how about the definition of a family actually, sacrifice, struggle and cooperation. Prepare a tissue to hold tears while watching this film. Not watching is a very loss. Don't miss it!