The Moral Majority takes a look at Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle this week from a Christian viewpoint. Is the movie appropriate for the youngsters and what can we expect going into it? Movieguide breaks it all down and grades films based on their content and possible messages they are trying to convey. Check out what they think after the jump.
Human child Mowgli is raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India. As he learns the often harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo and a panther named Bagheera, Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own, but the fearsome tiger Shere Khan doesn't take a liking to him. But there may be greater dangers lurking in the jungle, as Mowgli comes face to face with his human origins.
This version of THE JUNGLE BOOK is more violent and melodramatic than its predecessors, which doesn’t help the story. It still feels too familiar to merit another remake. Yet, the additional violence makes MOWGLI unsuitable for younger audiences who might experience the story for the first time. In the end, the story isn’t enough to hold the attention of adults but isn’t suitable for younger children. While there are light themes of acceptance, there’s little content that’s exceptionally positive or profound to make the movie worth watching. Finally, MOWGLI waters down many of the moral themes of previous versions, making it an unnecessary remake.
Read more at Movieguide.
Movieguide reviews all movies from a Christian perspective and how movies affect children at different stages of cognitive development. We analyze movies using over 150 different criteria that cover the dramatic elements, the literary, the worldview, and the theological… and much more.
