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"THE JUNGLE BOOK"
(1994) (Jason Scott Lee) (PG)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Minor Minor Moderate Moderate Moderate
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Minor Mild Moderate None Minor
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Minor Mild Minor Minor Heavy


QUICK TAKE:
A jungle man must deal with soldiers who want lost treasure.
PLOT:
Mowgli (JASON SCOTT LEE) is a jungle man discovered by the British army in India during the early 1900's. While the expedition's leader, William Boone (CARY ELWES) doesn't take kindly to Mowgli, his girlfriend Katherine (LENA HEADEY) does. This, and the discovery of lost treasure hidden in the remote jungle, causes friction between William and Katherine. William eventually goes over the edge as he turns into a greedy, nasty fellow. Mowgli must escape the soldiers' wrath while trying to win the heart of Katherine.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Probably, due to the fact that they may already be familiar with the animated Disney cartoon of the same name (and similar story). This version, however, has many adult scenes kids may find boring and contains a lot of violence and killing that the cartoon doesn't.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
The MPAA reason was not available, but we think it's due to violence.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • JASON SCOTT LEE plays the jungle man who lives by the rules of the jungle.
  • CARY ELWES plays a soldier who doesn't like Mowgli and who turns greedy and murderous toward the end.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • A social gathering toasts the announcement of an engagement.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • A dead sentry guard is seen.
  • Bloody tiger scratches on a dead man's face are seen.
  • A tiger catches a man and begins to maul him. Very little blood is seen, but the man's anguished screaming may be upsetting.
  • There are many human skeletons seen underwater.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • The British soldiers' upper class snobbery and attitudes toward the local Indian population and Mowgli are bad.
  • William has the above to begin with, which then progresses into mutiny from his post and then threatening the woman he was to marry -- all for the prize of treasure.
  • FRIGHTENING/TENSE SCENES
  • A long sequence includes: A tiger attacking people and running down one man; the camp is engulfed in chaos resulting in young Mowgli being trapped atop a run away horse drawn wagon carrying kerosine barrels -- and the cart is on fire. Mowgli jumps to safety just as the wagon explodes.
  • Another long sequence includes: A large snake making it's way toward Mowgli, then suddenly rearing up and dragging Mowgli in the water. There is an underwater fight scene with the snake until Mowgli grabs a knife and stabs the snake.
  • Mowgli enters a trophy room with animal heads on the wall -- suddenly there are weird scary scenes with weird angles of the animal heads and the sounds of gunshots and the animals "screaming out."
  • A night camp scene where the eerie sounds of all the different jungle animals are heard might be scary to younger kids.
  • A soldier falls into and finally sinks under some quicksand.
  • A tiger chases and eventually catches a soldier and mauls him.
  • One of Mowgli's opponents gets trapped in a mausoleum that begins filling with sand, eventually suffocating the man.
  • There is a tense sword fight between William and Mowgli. Mowgli eventually escapes while a large snake attacks William and drags him underwater where he sees skeletons of past snake attack victims.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • British soldiers carry rifles and pistols throughout the movie. They are fired in many scenes (4 times aimed at Mowgli)
  • Knife: Used to defend against snake attack.
  • Pistol: Used to threaten and then accidentally shoot Mowgli in the arm.
  • Assorted medieval weapons: Mowgli and William look these over and one is described as used to pull one's stomach out with.
  • Rifles/Pistols/Knives: Used in an ambush on a wagon carrying Katherine and her father. Many people are shot (wounded and killed) and one person's throat is slit.
  • Knife: Held against Katherine's throat to get Mowgli to lead them to the Lost City.
  • Rifle: A soldier accidentally shoots his companion in the leg.
  • Swords: Used in dueling battle between William and Mowgli.
  • Knife: Used by Mowgli to cut William's arm.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Shut up," and "Scum."
  • JUMP SCENES
  • A large snake rears up and surprises us and its victims twice.
  • Mowgli is suddenly captured by a net thrown over him.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • All scenes listed in the Frightening/Tense category have suspenseful or tense music.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • 5 damns, 1 hell.
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Phrase: "One man, two women. Lucky man."
  • SMOKING
  • Characters occasionally smoke throughout the movie (at least 4 different times).
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • There is talk of two kids (Kit, Mowgli) having lost their mothers when they were born.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • The concept of Jungle Law (Kill to eat or prevent being eaten) versus Man Law (Kill for pleasure or profit).
  • VIOLENCE
  • A battle with a snake in the lost city results in Mowgli and the snake in water and Mowgli stabbing the snake to escape.
  • Mowgli knocks aside Katherine's suitor who in turn tries to punch Mowgli but ends up thrown into a lagoon. William's allies come to his defense but they all end up in the lagoon as well. The last man, however, pulls out his pistol and then accidentally shoots Mowgli in the arm.
  • Soldier chase and fire rifles at Mowgli as they try to capture him in their compound.
  • Mowgli is knocked out with a rifle butt hit to the head.
  • Mowgli kicks his interrogator in the crotch and is then beaten by the other soldiers.
  • The soldiers bump into and eventually shove Mowgli into a table --laughing at him as they do.
  • Katherine smacks William in the face.
  • Mowgli is captured but then fights to escape. A solider tries to hit Mowgli with his rifle butt but misses as Mowgli kicks him in the groin. Another soldier aims at Mowgli but is saved by his friend, the Bear, which ends up getting shot itself.
  • There is an ambush on a wagon carrying Katherine and her father. Many people are wounded, and more are killed (including one by having his throat slit). Then Mowgli and his animal friends arrive and the animals attack some of the ambushers while Mowgli bites and throws off two of his opponents.
  • The wounded Colonel is hit to quiet him and then knocked out a rifle butt hit to the head.
  • William holds a knife to Katherine's neck, threatening her life unless Mowgli leads them to the Lost City.
  • There is a fight atop a cliff with many punches to faces. As Mowgli lies on the ground, his opponent picks up a huge rock with the plans of crushing Mowgli. A quick kick, however, sends the rock carrying man plummeting to his death on the rocks a hundred feet below. Then the soldiers fire at Mowgli again.
  • A soldier accidentally shoots his companion in the leg.
  • A tiger chases, and eventually catches, a soldier and mauls him.
  • Katherine hits William in the stomach, he then grabs her by the face.
  • William and Mowgli have a sword battle with Mowgli who loses his quickly and then avoids the lunges by William. Mowgli eventually grabs a knife and slashes William's arm and escapes.
  • William battles the large snake in the water and is killed.



  • Reviewed April 26, 1996

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