Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Jungle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 21, 2019

Greg McLean's "Jungle" (2017) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Umbrella Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; large collection of cast and crew interviews; and production featurettes. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Not giving up

I did not know that Greg McLean’s film Jungle was based on a true story. I also had not seen any promotional trailers for it. On the night that I decided to view the film, I made myself a cup of coffee and then sat down in front of my system. If still possible, I suggest that you try to view it like I did, knowing as little as possible about the story it recreates.

The character that Daniel Radcliffe plays in the film is an Israeli man named Yossi Ghinsberg, who in the early ‘80s completed his military service and told his parents that he had decided to travel the world. Yossi’s parents were not impressed, but he had made up his mind, so he quickly chose a large sack, filled it up with as many clothes as he thought he would need, and then hit the road.

The film opens up in Bolivia, but this is not where Yossi landed after he left Israel. He had already hitchhiked a couple of different South American countries before he got there. In Bolivia, Yossi met two other real characters, Marcus Stamm (Joel Jackson), a Swiss school teacher, and Kevin Gale (Alex Russell), an American photographer. They quickly became friends, and Yossi then spent some time in a hippie camp that was attracting youngsters from all across the world. The drugs were so easy to get and so cheap that some of them joked that they had discovered paradise.

Then in La Paz Yossi met another real character, Karl (Thomas Kretschmann ), who told him that he can show him the real jungle. Not the colorful exotic place that tourist brochures and magazines promoted, but the hidden world, that odd blank spot that was on the maps that he and his new friends were using. Karl was a good seller, and Yossi bought everything that he offered him that day. A few days later, Yossi convinced Marcus and Kevin to join him to his dream destination, using the exact words that Karl had used to describe it to him.

Right here is the only part of the film that feels a bit unconvincing. Was Yossi incredibly naïve or simply too desperate for a wild adventure that he never questioned why Karl was in a hurry to show him the real jungle? And if Karl was the pro that he is in the film, why was he willing to go on a treacherous trip with a bunch of total amateurs? It feels like something rather important was left out, so maybe in the book that Yossi wrote there is greater clarity.

A few days after the group entered the jungle, however, Marcus hurt his feet because he was not properly equipped for a grueling adventure. Then a decision was made to build a raft so that the group can reach its final destination faster, but after a quick try Karl changed his mind and declared that he is using a different route. Marcus went with him, while Yossi and Kevin stayed on the raft. Shortly after, just as Karl had predicted, the river destroyed the raft and separated Yossi and Kevin.

The rest of the film is dedicated to Yossi’s struggle to remain alive in dangerous place that was determined to first break his body and then his soul. And at one point he nearly lost the battle because he had lost all of his supplies and his mind had started playing such wild tricks on him that he could no longer tell what was real.

When Kevin eventually reached a tiny village and the asked the local authorities and then some farmers to help him find his friend, they told him that he was wasting his time. Three weeks in the jungle, without proper equipment and supplies, was a guaranteed death sentence.

*In the final third of the film Radcliffe definitely looks like a man who desperately needs help. While preparing for the role, he apparently intentionally starved himself so that his physical appearance looks as legit as possible.

Jungle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39.1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Greg McLean's Jungle arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.

On my system the entire film looks terrific. There was one particular sequence with very dark footage where for a moment it looked like some extremely light macroblocking would sneak in, but it turned out fine and everything else was great. Obviously, this is a very recent film that is very carefully lensed with modern equipment, so the consistently outstaying clarity and depth are not exactly surprising, but overall I still think that balance is terrific. Colors are also hugely impressive, with the daylight nuances in particular looking gorgeous. Image stability is great. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Jungle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

Apparently, there is an Atmos mix for this film, but the 5.1 track is already hugely impressive. Clarity, depth, and separation are terrific, and in this film there is a lot of footage where an excellent lossless track can plenty to impress. The dialog is clean, stable, and always exceptionally easy to follow.

Jungle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Jungle. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• Becoming Yossi - in this featurette, director Greg McLean, Daniel Radcliffe, Alex Russell, and producer Todd Fellman, amongst others, discuss the type of work that was done to ensure that Jungle and its main characters look as authentic as possible. In English, not subtitled. (10 min, 1080p).

• The Making of The Yossi Ginsberg Story - this featurette offers additional information about the original story that inspired the film and its production. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080p).

• Cast and Crew - a massive collection of cast and crew interviews that basically covers the entire development and production histories of Jungle. In English, not subtitled. (121 min, 1080p).

• Cover - reversible cover.

Jungle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is a miracle that the real Yossi Ghinsberg is still alive because there is so much that he endured in the Bolivian jungle that could and should have finished him off multiple times. I was not aware of his story prior to seeing Greg McLean's film and was really quite moved by it. Daniel Radcliffe also did a wonderful job with his character, and towards the end of the film he absolutely looks like a man on the verge of giving up. In the United States Jungle is available on Blu-ray via Momentum Pictures, and I believe our local release has the same special features that are included on this Australian release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.