The Jungle Book (Live-Action Version)

The Jungle Book is a remake of the 1967 Disney film.

Plot
Mowgli (Rohan Chand) is found in a basket as a baby in the deep jungles of Madhya Pradesh, India by Bagheera (Christian Bale), the black panther. He promptly takes him to Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o), an indian wolf who has just had cubs. She raises him along with her own cubs and Mowgli soon becomes well acquainted with jungle life.

One day, during the dry season, the jungle animals gather to drink the water that remains as part of a truce during a drought that enables the jungle's wildlife to drink without fear of being eaten by their predators. The truce is disrupted, however, when a scarred Bengal tiger, Shere Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch), arrives, detecting Mowgli's scent in the crowd. Resentful against man for scarring him, he issues a warning that he will kill Mowgli at the end of the drought. As the wolf pack debates whether they should keep Mowgli or not, they realize that Mowgli must be taken to the "man village" to protect him and those around him. Bagheera volunteers to escort him back.

They leave that very night, but Mowgli is determined to stay in the jungle. They spend the night on a large tree, where they encounter Kaa (Steve Buscemi), a python who hypnotizes Mowgli and tries to eat him. Bagheera stops him, and he and Mowgli go to sleep.

The next morning, Mowgli tries to join the Indian elephant patrol led by Colonel Hathi (John Cleese). Bagheera finds Mowgli and they argue.

En route, Shere Khan ambushes them and injures Bagheera, but Mowgli manages to escape. Later, Mowgli meets Baloo (John Goodman), a fun-loving bear, who shows Mowgli the fun of having a care-free life and promises not to take him to the man village. Shere Khan meanwhile, upon learning that Mowgli has left the jungle, kills Akela and threatens the pack to lure Mowgli out.

Bagheera eventually finds Mowgli and Baloo and is angered that Mowgli has not joined the humans as agreed. After an argument flares between Mowgli and Bagheera, Mowgli is caught by a gang of monkeys and taken to their leader, King Louie (Christopher Walken) the orangutan, who makes a deal with Mowgli that if he tells him the secret of making fire like a human, then he will make it so he can stay in the jungle ("I Wanna Be Like You"). However, since he was not raised by humans, Mowgli doesn't know how to make fire. Bagheera and Baloo arrive at the palace, unseen and try to plan a way to rescue Mowgli, but the catchy beat of the song distracts Baloo and he wanders off dancing. Soon, however, he appears dressed in banana skins and coconut shells posing as a female orangutan which fools the King. But soon, Baloo's disguise is revealed and there begins a mad chase between the monkeys and Baloo and Bagheera over Mowgli. The King accidentally knocks down a pillar and holds up the temple the best he can until he struggles when Baloo begins to tickle him frantically under the arms. The monkeys manage to stop Baloo's tickling, but end up bouncing the king onto the other pillar instead, causing the temple to collapse in rumble. Mowgli is rescued from King Louie by Bagheera and Baloo. Bagheera explains to Baloo that the jungle isn't safe when Shere Khan is around.

As morning arrives, Baloo explains to Mowgli that the Man Village is best for him, but Mowgli accuses him of breaking his promise and runs away in the deepest part of the jungle. Shere Khan carries on looking for Mowgli. When he arrives at the Swamp, he encounters a group of solemn vultures (Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, Jason Orange and Howard Donald). One of the vultures, Lucky (Robbie Williams) foolishly reveals where Mowgli is and starts to make fun of Shere Khan, but Shere Khan grabs him by the throat and mauls and presumably kills him as Buzzy, Flaps, Ziggy and Dizzy fly away frightened.

Bagheera (after Baloo explains to him) then finds the Elephant Patrol and tells Hathi of Mowgli running away with Shere Khan himself overhearing. Hathi then organizes a special search mission for all his herd. Later, Kaa hypnotizes Mowgli into a deep and peaceful sleep, and tries to eat him (after tricking him that Mowgli can trust him), but thanks to the intervention of Shere Khan, Mowgli escapes.

He encounters the vultures and they say they'll be his friend. The vultures argue and continually sidetrack Mowgli with their pointless arguments.

Bagheera and Baloo find Mowgli and tell them that Shere Khan killed Akela and is looking for him. Mowgli steals a lit torch at the village to use as a weapon and heads back to the jungle, accidentally starting a wildfire in the process. He confronts Shere Khan, who argues that Mowgli has made himself the enemy of the jungle by causing the wildfire. Mowgli throws the torch into the water, giving Shere Khan the advantage. Baloo, Bagheera, the wolves and the vultures intervene and hold Shere Khan off, giving Mowgli enough time to set a trap. He lures Shere Khan up a dead tree and onto a branch, which breaks under the tiger's weight, and Shere Khan falls into the inferno.

Baloo and Bagheera take Mowgli to the edge of a man-village, but Mowgli is still hesitant to go in. His mind soon changes when a young girl from the village comes down by the riverside to fetch water. After noticing the boy, she "accidentally" drops her water pot, and Mowgli retrieves it for her and follows her into the man village. After Mowgli chooses to stay in the man village, Baloo and Bagheera decide to head home, never to see Mowgli again.

Cast

 * John Goodman as Baloo
 * Rohan Chand as Mowgli
 * Christian Bale as Bagheera
 * Benedict Cumberbatch as Shere Khan
 * Steve Buscemi as Kaa
 * Gerard Butler as Akela
 * Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha
 * Christopher Walken as King Louie
 * John Cleese as Colonel Hathi
 * Helen Mirren as Winifred
 * Joshua Rush as Hathi Jr.
 * Take That as Vultures

Songs

 * "Colonel Hathi's March"
 * "The Bare Necessities"
 * "I Wanna Be Like You"
 * "Colonel Hathi's March (Respire)"
 * "Trust in Me"
 * "That's What Friends Are For"
 * "My Own Home"
 * "The Bare Necessities (Respire)"

Rating
Rated PG for Mild thematic elements, some peril and action.