Andy Serkis is not just a pioneer of motion capture acting but he's also the
preeminent creative force in the field that's right we're breaking out the big
words because Andy Serkis deserves that level of respect now he didn't get no
respect for Warner Brothers who shunted his crowning achievement of his career
over to Netflix because they felt that it could not hold a candle to Disney's
recent juggernaut I think that might be true to some degree box office wise
although as you're about to see for my review I think you can definitely
compete critically but you know what Hollywood's a tough business but I'm
happy to be able to report the circus can still hold his head high and remains
untouchable when it comes to bringing non-human or in some cases humanoid
characters to life he's so talented it's ridiculous how did we ever doubt him how
dead water I don't know I don't know if Netflix is like the saving grace of this
movie or its elephant graveyard it's it's it's it's really what we'll see
we'll see what happens with the film and to be fair
circuses Mowgli is short on spectacle and the visual and I mean like spectacle
like barn 'van you know Barnum & Bailey spectacle Lovell like he doesn't have
that kind of showmanship I just don't think it's in circus as you know you're
gonna see from this review circus just has different priorities which is fine
but you know maybe not so much from the studio's perspective but also I have to
say the visual effects are also wildly uneven like at some points you're like
oh that looks bad but at other points you're like that's really impressive to
the point that it makes me wonder if maybe Warner Brothers simply pulled the
plug on it mid render being like you're going to Netflix looks good enough and
it is very good but Mowgli even under the best ideal circumstances
is simply not a nine hundred million dollar picture but it is an actor's
movie and much clay you know I left because it's just so clearly not built
to compete at the same level as Jon Favreau's
a book but it's just so good I feel so bad for it but I also won't have to say
that it's much closer to the feeling of reading a book like I don't know Rudyard
Kipling's write a darker more nuanced sophisticated story with a very strong
message the kind of message that you usually only get from books and I also
think it's interesting that like Kipling circus of course is British and has that
same perspective of India with the added benefit of knowing how it all turned out
although of course you know Kipling at a very nuanced perspective of the British
India relationship as well that flavour is definitely here and I love it if you
like you know obviously not only the historical historical aspects but the
romanticized version of that even they even highlighted it recently in
Westworld I think that you know circuses Mowgli draws on that both the good and
the back which I found wonderful and this also is a real gift because
especially to cinephiles because it's a rare circumstance where you can see two
directors approach the same source material what you know the backing at
least originally of two major studios and substantial budgets right but from
two vastly different perspectives with completely different end goals and both
directors succeed wildly it's like a fork in the road and you get to travel
both paths you know you don't have to pick it's really fascinating
they really almost do make a wonderful set now again since this is an actor's
movie literally with an actor at the helm the work on screen is next-level
not only does the amazing voice cast deliver as one would expect but in many
cases you could actually see and recognize the face of the actor in the
face of the animal like the speaking of Westworld
the actor on Westworld there's an actor from that cast who's here as well and I
was like isn't that guy from lost world because that wolf totally looks like him
and to me the real standouts in the cast motion capture wise are Christian Bale
Benedict Cumberbatch I mean are there really any surprises here and a circus
actually isn't as good as those two does a nice job he's you know very
similar to his roles you know like um in ten ten you know he's got that snarl he
likes to give some of his characters sometimes circus and then also circus
his own son Louie who of course isn't that upcoming King Arthur film makes a
strong impression as well but well of course again you're prepared for bail-in
Cumberbatch and some degree circuits to do a great job right you're like of
course they're good I mean I'm glad they're they did do a good job they
didn't phone it in or they weren't just doing circus a favor they took this very
seriously but nothing could have prepared me for
the acting done by Rohan Chand I mean especially since the only other time
I've ever seen him on screen is the dark comedy bad words remember that movie
with Jason Bateman he was good there but I had no idea he was such a strong
dramatic actor like wow we're talking an absolute powerhouse to be able to go
pas de pas with bail and Cumberbatch and circus etc he delivers a performance
that not only runs the gamut of emotions but is largely internal I was again
blown away also circuses Mowgli is older than
Favreau's which again allows for that darker story and on that note while
Matthew Rhys has a very small role I love Matthew Rhys I was so happy to see
him and it's you know you're not gonna see a lot of them but it's a very
important role and I never saw that let's say twist coming never saw it
coming and it's so brave of Circus to go there considering I'm sure Warner
Brothers was like give me a family picture no this is a family picture but
in the way I guess you know you think of like things like you know the the Black
Cauldron or the secret of NIMH like you know that darker style of animation that
was so arresting and the Hollywood has backed away from its it's like in that
category I really loved it and I hope that circus is ultimately rewarded for
taking this you know this brave twist but I feel it so far this Netflix move
for instance seems like a punishment so while I know it's a very busy holiday
season including at the multiplex and I know it's highly unlikely that any of
you are going to pay to see this movie at a theater when you can stream it for
free as part of your Netflix subscription starting to sound
vii I'm begging you mark your calendar for December 7th and stream this thing I
feel it's one of the best movies of the year and if you can't see it before
holidays see it right after it's just really worth your time and very much in
the spirit of Kipling's original work and maybe even I have to do my list but
I certainly think it's a contender for one of the best movies of 2018 so that's
my review of Mowgli I feel bad like most of you I'm not gonna are not gonna see
this for a little bit but I can't wait to hear what you think of it share your
thoughts down below or tweet them to me but don't give away that twist but it
really is important to have it wash over the audience when it happens alright so
again that's my review of Mowgli leave those thoughts down below and of course
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