Rating: Summary: It is not the original, but still good. Review: I had very low expectations for this movie. I was very disappointed in Return to Neverland, more disappointed with Lilo and Stitch, and didn't even bother seeing Treasure Planet (I noticed that I wasn't alone.) When I heard Disney was remaking one of my favorite classics, I thought "Oh, no!" But we went. 1. The first thing I noticed was the animation. It looked like the original. No, it isn't beautiful and it doesn't look like the stuff we are used to now, but it looks like the Disney stuff from the Classic era. Therefore Baloo looks like Baloo, Mowgli, Kaa, etc. look like they did before. I am glad they didn't try to re-draw them. When they do put in more modern stuff, you really notice it and it is sort of distracting. (Check out the log in the river and the waterfall.) 2. Next, the voices. I actually thought this Mowgli (Osment) was better than the original. If you really listen to the original, Mowgli isn't too great an actor. Just the director's kid who they stuck in because they needed a kid's voice. Shere-Khan, Kaa, Bagiera, the Elephant Patrol, etc.--I thought the voices were GREAT. Unfortunately, the one I thought I would like the most, I liked the least. John Goodman. It sounded like the jazzy, Baloo, went south. He traded in his jazz for zydeco. Close, but too much southern-drawl accent. If they wanted to go this route, even Harry Connick, Jr. would have been better, at least he would have been a little jazzy. 3. Music Not enough. Man, do we all miss Howard Ashman. The background stuff IS good. Nice trumpets, jazz sound. The songs were more like top 40, though. The King Louie stuff isn't even close to Louie Prima, so don't expect it. Here, they kinda rip off "I just can't wait to be king" from Lion King--minus the quality of the music. Still, at least they had some original (i.e. new) music. 4. Characters. What is the deal with this baby character? Did they really need a side-kick this bad? They should have skipped him completely. My 4-year olds laughed at him here and there, but he should have been cut. The vultures, the elephants, Kaa, Shere-Khan have no musical numbers. What a shame. Their voices were good and their characters could have been better with a song or two. (Provided they were decent songs.) I never read Kiplings version, so I don't know if it follows the book. I know that Walt Disney told the original writers to forget about Kipling in the original, so I imagine this doesn't follow the book either. So what. It is Disney--do any of them follow the original stories too well? 4. Last word (if you are still bothering to read this) No, it isn't the original. I know it is probably just a money-making venture for Disney to re-do this and cash in on all the parents nostalgia. But, I will continue to pay for (and enjoy mostly) the newer kids stuff. If they see how much money they can make on a mediocre movie, maybe it will entice them to make more great ones to make even more money. I hope so. In the meantime, seeing this remake is a lot like going to a class reunion--you will be happy to see your old friends again, but things won't be quite the same. Still, I wouldn't have missed it.
Rating: Summary: Utter disappointment Review: I like to consider myself one of the ultimate Disney fans, and I thought this movie was just awful. Mowgli was so much more whiney and obnoxious, and Haley Joel Osment did not have the same attitude as the voice in the first one. The tunes are not at all catchy, most of them are just annoying. And, with all due respect to John Goodman, you are not Phil Harris. You can't compare the Baloo in this one to the Baloo in the first. This movie seems like more of a Disney money maker than a real classic. It's especially disappointing after awesome movies like Lilo and Stitch and Treasure Planet.
Rating: Summary: Jungle Book 2 Review: I live in Tanzania, East Africa. I saw Jungle Book 1 in Drive In Cinema and it was wonderful night some 15 years ago. The beauty was ehnanced further as Tanzania has lot of Jungle and the practically all scenes seen in the Movie, Including night scenes with moon shining over lake / River are in Real Life here. The Jungle Book 2 will take those things many steps further and it is a film worth watching over and over again. I think that DVD is the best thing ...
Rating: Summary: Why did this happen?! Review: I love the 1st Jungle Book and watch it frequently. I definatly did NOT want them to make a Jungle Book 2. You can't just pin a sequel on a classic movie made nearly 40 years before! (They did that to Peter Pan and that movie was very stupid.) Well anyways, I saw the commercial and the voices aren't the same and the animation is DEFINATELY not the same. I'd personally just settle for the 1st Jungle Book re-release. I will probably see this when it comes to DVD because I like the 1st one so much, but I have pretty low expectations.
Rating: Summary: Can new voices be accepted by the audience Review: I spent the time reading the Publisher's review, which was very interesting and encouraging. BEWARE--when you get to the end you find something very common in these reviews. THE REVIEW IS OF A VERSION THAT YOU CAN'T BUY. WHY SHOULD WE WANT TO READ SUCH A REVIEW? IF PUT IN AT ALL, AT LEAST THE STANDARDS OF DECENCY WOULD PUT THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T REFER TO WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BUY. I have the original, and will very likely buy this one, but I resent having my time wasted reading a glowing review of something that DOESN'T EXIST. I will look at whose voice is used in major characters.
Rating: Summary: Well, the kids seem to like it Review: I try to watch Disney sequels objectively- I enjoyed "Return to Neverland" and "Lion King II" (I only liked the 3rd installment of "Aladdin" because they wisely brought back Robin Williams). But "Jungle Book 2"...eh, not my cup o' tea. The opening sequence is promising- Mowgli (Haley Joel Osment) is telling his tales from the Jungle in shadow puppet form to his friend Shanti (Mae Whitman, the adorable urchin from "One Fine Day", and "State of Grace"), the young girl who originally lured Mowgli into the Man village in the 1st movie. It is not clear how the people in the village are related, but there is also a young boy named Rajan who idolizes Mowgli and is fascinated with tigers. When Mowgli starts missing his old "Papa Bear" Baloo (John Goodman), the movie cuts to Baloo, who is missing Mowgli and plotting to nab him from the man village. From here, the "2" movie is pretty much like the first, except that Shanti and Rajan are along for the ride. The vultures are also back, but their addition to this movie is pretty much just so they can add Phil Collins name to the starring bill- they add no relevance to the storyline. This movie is fun for the kids, but falls flat for the fans of the original- perhaps we are too biased to accept a retelling of an old tale (because that's what this pretty much is). The original had it all- the late, great Phil Harris as Baloo, better musical numbers, and the legendary Louis Prima as King Louie! That's a tough act to beat. At least Jim Cummings ("Kaa") is a decent replacement for Sterling Holloway (he was the original voice for Winnie-the-Pooh, and died in 1992). The DVD extras try to revive the original movie, but also add a fun interactive game featuring Mowgli. My kids love this movie, so how I feel about it is irrelevant (it's very wierd hearing Smash Mouth sing their rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You"). It's currently on Pay-per-view, so spend four bucks before you spend 20 and decide for yourself.
Rating: Summary: Well, the kids seem to like it Review: I try to watch Disney sequels objectively- I enjoyed "Return to Neverland" and "Lion King II" (I only liked the 3rd installment of "Aladdin" because they wisely brought back Robin Williams). But "Jungle Book 2"...eh, not my cup o' tea. The opening sequence is promising- Mowgli (Haley Joel Osment) is telling his tales from the Jungle in shadow puppet form to his friend Shanti (Mae Whitman, the adorable urchin from "One Fine Day", and "State of Grace"), the young girl who originally lured Mowgli into the Man village in the 1st movie. It is not clear how the people in the village are related, but there is also a young boy named Rajan who idolizes Mowgli and is fascinated with tigers. When Mowgli starts missing his old "Papa Bear" Baloo (John Goodman), the movie cuts to Baloo, who is missing Mowgli and plotting to nab him from the man village. From here, the "2" movie is pretty much like the first, except that Shanti and Rajan are along for the ride. The vultures are also back, but their addition to this movie is pretty much just so they can add Phil Collins name to the starring bill- they add no relevance to the storyline. This movie is fun for the kids, but falls flat for the fans of the original- perhaps we are too biased to accept a retelling of an old tale (because that's what this pretty much is). The original had it all- the late, great Phil Harris as Baloo, better musical numbers, and the legendary Louis Prima as King Louie! That's a tough act to beat. At least Jim Cummings ("Kaa") is a decent replacement for Sterling Holloway (he was the original voice for Winnie-the-Pooh, and died in 1992). The DVD extras try to revive the original movie, but also add a fun interactive game featuring Mowgli. My kids love this movie, so how I feel about it is irrelevant (it's very wierd hearing Smash Mouth sing their rendition of "I Wanna Be Like You"). It's currently on Pay-per-view, so spend four bucks before you spend 20 and decide for yourself.
Rating: Summary: '02's Return to Neverland was better!!!! Review: I watched the trailer for this and it looks okay but not as as good as 2002's Return to Neverland I'm a Disney fan and I love disney movies but this one looks kinda corny it may be okay if you were 7 or 6 yrs. old but this looks kind of kiddish!!!
Rating: Summary: My kids love it, and so do I! Review: I'll admit that I was hesitant to buy this one, mostly because I'd read bad reviews of it. Boy, am I glad I did. My kids absolutely love this movie, and I like it even better than the original Jungle Book. They cast the perfect actors to do the voices, especially John Goodman, who does a wonderful job as Baloo. Also, to be perfectly honest, I like the story line of this movie better than that of the original; I think it appeals to kids more. If you've been thinking about trying Jungle Book 2, I definitely recommend buying a copy soon, before it goes back in the Disney vault! You won't be sorry.
Rating: Summary: The 5 stars is to even out my 2 star prereview (I'd put 4) Review: I'll be honest. I wrote the 2 star prereview called "Why did this happen?" But I rented this movie and I liked it alot (It's in my top 3 Disney sequels even), and even ended up getting it. I might like it more than the first one because it is much more colorful. The voice actors do a good job, even though the plot is simple and has been done before (Lady and the Tramp 2). This is a definate movie to buy for kids under 8, even who haven't seen the original, but if you're over 8 and want to see it, rent or borrow it first.
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