My boys proved themselves the perfect audience for the new The Jungle Book The Movie: Rumble in the Jungle by Phase 4 Films. Rumble in the Jungle is the first DVD release from the new The Jungle Book TV series which airs on Disney XD.
The singing animals, the helpful big Baloo and of course, vine-swinging Mowgli were enough to keep my young sons’ attention as long as any movie can. My sons are pretty active (both under 5) which makes getting them to sit for any movie of any length a trial for the faintest of all hearts. The nice thing about this movie is that it is appears to be broken up into story bites that makes it easy to pause between “episodes” or stories if you need a snack or play break.
The stories are fun to watch with happy dancing animals, sprinkled with a little terror from Shere Khan (the somewhat menacing but not too scary for young kids tiger) thrown in and blended with a little wisdom from the older Kaa the Python. Baloo, Appu and Bagheera are Mowgli’s faithful friends as always as they help him in and out of a variety of tricky and sticky situations. Kids should enjoy the music and action of these easy-to-recognize characters.
SYNOPSIS: There’s trouble in the jungle, and as usual, Mowgli and Mani are at the center of it all! While they enjoy their time drumming away at logs in the jungle, Shere Khan plots to put an end to the noise. Meanwhile, Tabaqui is stuck in a well, Appu gets lost, and there’s something fishy going on at the Cold Lair… Will Mowgli escape the clutches of the evil Shere Khan, and manage to still have time to join his friends in the jungle rhythm? This action packed feature length film promises to bring you the best of The Jungle Book.
GENRE: Family, Animated
CAST: Emma Tate(Flushed Away, “Bob the Builder,” “Horrid Henry”), Jimmy Hibbert (Sprung! The Magic Roundabout, “Count Duckula”), David Holt (“Watership Down”), Nigel Pilkington (Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, “The Tudors”)
DIRECTOR: Tapaas Chakravarti
RELEASE DATE: The Jungle Book The Movie: Rumble In The Jungle will be available exclusively in Walmart stores on February 12, 2013 (national release in May 2013).
AGE RANGE: 2-6 yrs old.
(Disclosure: I received The Jungle Book The Movie: Rumble in the Jungle DVD and figurine set for this review.)
