Andy Serkis directs Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s stories, with a screenplay by Callie Kloves. The film follows a human boy raised by wolves who must escape a menacing tiger named Shere Khan and face his own origins. Rohan Chand plays Mowgli, Christian Bale voices Bagheera, Cate Blanchett voices Kaa, and Benedict Cumberbatch voices Shere Khan. Naomie Harris, Peter Mullan, Jack Reynor, Eddie Marsan, Tom Hollander, Matthew Rhys, and Freida Pinto round out the cast.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Wolves and the Tiger
Mowgli is a plucky and kind boy raised by wolves. He sets out on a journey to find a human village while avoiding Shere Khan. Matthew Rhys plays John Lockwood, a colonial hunter who hunts for trophies and later pursues Shere Khan. Freida Pinto plays Messua, an altruistic woman who takes in Mowgli.
Christian Bale brings menace as Bagheera, Cate Blanchett adds wit as Kaa, and Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a strong performance as the tiger. The film uses motion-capture technology for the animal roles, and the results vary in quality.
The Long Road to Release
Warner Bros. Pictures announced plans for a Jungle Book film in 2012. Directors Steve Kloves, Ron Howard, and Alejandro González Iñárritu were considered before Serkis was confirmed in March 2014. Most of the cast signed on in August of that year, and principal photography began in March 2015.
Filming took place in South Africa and at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, England. The film was originally set for October 2016 but faced repeated delays to work on visual effects and to avoid competition with Disney’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book, released in April 2016.
In July 2018, Warner Bros. Pictures sold the rights to Netflix. The film reached select theaters on 29 November, followed by a digital Netflix release on 7 December of the same year.
What Works and What Doesn’t
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is a mixed bag. The animal performances are sometimes effective, sometimes distracting. The story is familiar ground, and the film rarely finds new angles on the material.
The cast chemistry is strong, especially between Chand and the voice actors around him. But the pacing drags in stretches, and the film’s attempts at spectacle feel uneven.
- Rohan Chand holds the center of the story
- Christian Bale’s Bagheera is a standout
- Benedict Cumberbatch’s Shere Khan is memorable
- Matthew Rhys and Freida Pinto provide a human anchor
The film’s direction and production design all point toward a larger-scale project. The result falls short of that ambition.
Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is a competent, often handsome failure. It has moments of genuine feeling and a strong central performance from Chand, but it never fully commits to its own vision. The film’s mixed reviews reflect a project that was never quite finished.
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