The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

With a quick turnaround of only about two-and-a-half-months, Disney has re-released Director Jon Favreau's 'The Jungle Book' to Blu-ray, adding a Blu-ray 3D presentation and several new supplements in addition to all of the previously released content. The disc carries over the same DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack from the previous release. Read on for more details.

The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Jungle Book didn't initially release in a Blu-ray 3D configuration, but it's been well worth the wait, and the wait has, fortunately (fortunately for, at least, those who held out from the beginning or who can afford to double-dip this soon into the film's life on home video), been worth it. The movie takes full advantage and immediate use of its 3D landscape from the opening shot forward, where the Disney castle pushes back and gives way to a jungle river and landscape. The sense of wide-open space is obvious, contrasted by vines hanging at various distances from the camera and branches that all but protrude from the screen. Indeed, the jungle terrain is a treasure trove of 3D goodness; the sheer density means the transfer need work overtime to ensure every element presents with a tangible, realistic sense of space from the viewer and from all of the other competing elements in the frame, and never does it disappoint. Near or far, complex or simple, living or not, everything in the frame is always voluminous, well spaced, and tangibly deep from the screen. Whether trees, rocky protrusions on a cliffside, creature fur, or falling rain that seems to be drenching the area in front of the screen as well as back into it, the 3D elements are plentiful and convincing. General detailing holds up very well, with animal fur, Mowgli's scars and skin, leaves, and other elements impressing with complex density and detail. Colors are mostly earthy, greens and tans, with blood, Mowgli's red shorts, and dots of colorful plant life the only regular diversions from the norm. Black level depth and detail are strong, and no serious encode or source flaws are evident. Overall, this is a high yield 3D presentation from Disney that fans are going to love.

Note: Screenshots are of the 2D version of the film that's packaged with the 3D release.

The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For a review of the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack, please click here.

The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disney's re-release of The Jungle Book contains supplements new to this release as well as carryover material from the previous release, all on the 2D-only Blu-ray disc. Below is a breakdown of what's included. New material is marked as such, and reviewed. For reviews of carryover content, please see the review linked above. No extra content is included on the 3D disc. A DVD copy of the film and a Disney digital copy voucher are included with purchase.

• The Jungle Book Reimagined
• I Am Mowgli
• King Louie's Temple: Layer by Layer
• Audio Commentary
• NEW! The Bare Necessities: From the Jungle to the Bayou (1080p, 3:30): Top New Orleans musicians, along with Bill Murray, record The Bare Necessities.
• NEW! The Return of a Legend (1080p, 3:41): Richard Sherman, alongside Director John Favreau, pens and performs new lyrics for I Wan'na Be Like You.
• NEW! The Jungle Effect (1080p, 3:20): A fascinating, but too brief, juxtaposition of on-set footage and the digitally enhanced finished product.
• NEW! The Jungle Book Around the World (1080p, 1:56): Scenes from the film presented in several different languages.
• NEW! Developing Kaa (1080p, 2:51): An animatic constructed to help develop the scene in which Mowgli meets Kaa.

The Jungle Book 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Jungle Book is a fine film, but is it worth a double dip, and one that's released in seemingly record time at that? The 3D presentation is excellent but the added supplements really only amount to a few fluffy padders. For those needing the extra content or wishing to see the film in 3D, best to wait for a good sale, or dump the old Blu-ray for a few dollars to help fund this new edition. Everything from that release is here, plus more.