TPR Comments on The Jungle Book 2 Special Edition DVD:
In 2003, Disney release The Jungle Book 2. They thought well enough of it to give it a run in theaters rather than going straight to DVD like most other recent sequels to classic Disney films. As its modestly successful box office proved, The Jungle Book 2 was better than most of Disney's sequels with John Goodman voicing Baloo and Haley Joel Osment voicing Mowgli. That said, the basic storyline of the film is a rehashing of the original whereas Baloo wants Mowgli to live him and Shere Khan is out for revenge. This film does not have Louis Prima's King Louie and adds the toddler Ranjan. Those who have fond memories of the original will find this film pales in comparision largely because The Jungle Book 2 lacks the nostalgia carried by the original. Our opinion is that in the absence of the original, this film would be good enough to stand on its own as a decent film. However, because it is a sequel, it will be always be compared to the original. The film revisits "Bare Necessities" and adds some pop-style numbers that Disney churns out these days. Though the numbers are entertaining for the kids, adults will likely find they lack the charm of the original Jungle Book's music. Nevertheless, The Jungle Book 2 is very entertaining for children while adults will likely amuse themselves by comparing the familiar characters to their portrayals in the original.
The Special Edition DVD extras follow a now familiar formula. There are three music videos as well as a song selection guide, which allows viewers to skip right to the film's songs with on-screen lyrics for sing-alongs. There are two games aimed at keeping the children entertained beyond watching the movie. The one special feature that will interest adults is "The Legacy of The Jungle Book," which gives some background on the approach taken with creating the sequel from the characters and storyline to the music. Like most Disney special edition DVD releases, the extras are adequate and mostly aimed at the younger viewers.
The Jungle Book 2 Voice Cast List
John Goodman
Haley Joel Osment
Mae Whitman
Connor Funk
Bob Joles
Tony Jay
John Rhys-Davies
Jim Cummings
Phil Collins
The Jungle Book 2 Special Edition DVD Extras:
— Deleted Scene: "I've Got You Beat" with Introduction by Sharon Morrill & Mike Walker [5:40]
— Deleted Scene: "Braver" with Introduction by Sharon Morrill & Mike Walker [3:44]
— Music & More - Disney Song Selection: With and without on-screen lyrics
— Music & More - "W-I-L-D", "Jungle Rhythm" and "I Wanna Be Like You" Music Videos
— Games & Activities - Mowgli's Story Time Adventure - In this multi-level game, help Mowgli avoid the coiled clutches of Kaa the serpent and escape Shere Khan's revenge while running, ducking, dodging and jumping his way through the Man Village, the Jungle and King Louie's Palace.
— Games & Activities - Mowgli's Jungle Ruins Maze - Help Mowgli find his way thorugh jungle ruins and avoid treacherous pitfalls along the path, discovering some real jungle secrets along the way!
— Backstage Disney - The Story of Jungle Book - A recap of the original animated classic, complete with highlights and unforgettable moments. [3:00]
— Backstage Disney - The Legacy Of The Jungle Book - Find out how Jungle Book 2 used the original The Jungle Book as inspiration for an original animated adventure! [13:50] Buy The Jungle Book 2 Special Edition DVD Now!
Animated Films Items Available at eBay - Scroll for additional items
