_**Mowgli Jones of the Jungle**_ Beginning in 1887 and continuing into the early twentieth century, a boy is raised by wolves within the jungles of India, a place where Shere Khan, a tiger, lives and poses a danger. With help from Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black panther, Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) learns what’s known as the "Law of the Jungle” before rejoining human society and discovering its unfamiliar customs, moral failings, and the experience of love. Sam Neill, Lena Headey, Cary Elwes, and John Cleese appear in supporting roles. "The Jungle Book" (1994) combines the gentle nature of Rudyard Kipling’s stories with elements reminiscent of “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan” (1984) and Indiana Jones films. It's important to note that you won’t find talking animals here; this is a fairly realistic adventure, featuring some charming animal reactions but not going overboard. While I personally favor "Greystoke" and “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” it’s at least comparable to “Temple of Doom” and “The Last Crusade.” It could have benefitted from more focus on human relationships to better engage adult viewers, though there's enough to hold your interest. Some critics have suggested Jason Scott Lee wasn't ideally suited for the part, but the explanation is that Mowgli’s mother (who isn't shown and passed away at his birth) was of Asian descent. Considering the geography involved—Southeast Asia is close to the Indian subcontinent, with Nepal/China further north—intermarriage wasn’t uncommon. Lee himself has Polynesian and Chinese heritage. For the film’s purposes, portraying Mowgli as part-Asian made him feel like an outsider among both the British colonizers and native Indians, which I found effective. Lena Headey delivers a strong performance in her role, and Elwes is convincing as the unpleasant British aristocrat. Lee is excellent, and the live-action animals combined with the impressive locations make it worthwhile to see. The film’s running time is 1 hour, 51 minutes, and filming took place in Jodhpur, located in northwestern India (for scenes involving monkeys and elephants), as well as Bombay (for Mowgli's interactions within a city), Tennessee (Fall Creek Falls & Ozone Falls), and South Carolina (Fripp Island & the nearby Beaufort). GRADE: B/B-

Source on TMDB