The Jungle Book (2016)

While this film was a visual masterpiece, I found it oddly uninteresting.
The plot is compelling enough, with young Mowgli (Neel Sethi) forced to leave his beloved wolf pack as his life is in serious danger. The tiger, Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) wants him dead, not forgetting that he killed his father and nearly died himself at the hands of the red flower (aka fire). Mowgli does leave, led away by the panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley), who first brought him to the wolf pack in the first place. This nearly goes awry as Bagheera is injured by Shere Khan himself. Mowgli escapes, by riding on the back of some water buffalo and then nearly dies at the hands of a giant soothsaying cobra, Kaa (Scarlett Johannson). Fortunately, he is rescued at the last minute by a needy, out of shape bear, Baloo (Bill Murray) whose mission, at first, is to use little Mowgli for his skills with making tools to obtain some honeycomb, high above his head.
Despite the inauspicious beginning, the two eventually form a great friendship. Also fortunately, Bagheera recovers from his injuries and finds Mowgli and tries to urge him to go to the man village though Baloo feels that they will ruin him as Mowgli has a way with all the animals.
Though the two do not always get along, they do join forces to help Mowgli escape from the monkey palace, led by the cruel and cocky King Louie (Christopher Walken) who wants Mowgli to be one of his. King Louie will offer protection from Shere Khan as long as Mowgli can get him the red flower. Mowgli doesn't want this and does manage to escape as Baloo distracts the many monkeys from him.
However, Mowgli does nearly go to the man village even after rescuing a baby elephant, even the elephants, kings of the jungle respect him.
He does return to the wolves though Shere Khan wants him gone, but once again, Mowgli outsmarts him and the red flower he inadvertently started, though it is a close call. He survives and Shere Khan at the hands of the fire. Then, in a move which seems too ordained, the dam breaks, water flows everywhere, stopping the fire and saving the forest.
The film ends happily (which are my favorite kind), with Bagheera, Mowgli and even Baloo on a tree together, just enjoying life.
However, the film just didn't do much for me. Perhaps I enjoy greater character depth and real life situations, but the plot just fell flat. Nevertheless, the CGI is nothing short of spectacular as the animals are all realistic and the wolf cubs are especially adorable and the film looks like it truly takes place in the jungle while it is all filmed on a sound stage in Hollywood in front of green screens. The voice acting is also rather good. Grade: B+