'The Jungle Book' has returned in one of the most visually stunning epics of the year. Directed by Jon Favreau, this new re-make of the Rudyard Kipling tale and its 60s Disney take-off follows the adventures of Mowgli and his jungle friends with live action and crisp CGI design. It was never going to fail visually, but how has this resurfaced story really affected critics?

The Jungle BookThe Jungle Book is a sensational spectacle

Predictably, the jaw-dropping CGI animals has left little to criticize. Indiewire branded it 'a lavish technological spectacle' that 'pushes the capabilities of computer-generated imagery' and the Hollywood Reporter called it 'exceptionally beautiful to behold and bolstered by a stellar vocal cast', referring to such voice artists as Scarlett Johansson (Kaa the snake), Christopher Walken (King Louie the ape), Bill Murray (Baloo the bear), Idris Elba (Shere Khan the tiger) and Ben Kingsley (Bagheera the panther).

Watch the trailer for 'The Jungle Book' here: 


 

Some insisted that the story carried with it the perfect balance of emotional weight and believable visualisation. It is 'a visual and emotional stunner' according to Uproxx, while the Telegraph compared Favreau's 'intuitive touch' to his 'under-appreciated' 2005 film 'Zathura'. The Wrap agreed that 'the visual trickery satisfies both the eyes and the emotions', adding that there were genuine tear-jerker moments between Mowgli and his computer-generated animal peers.

The story failed to impress everyone, however. Indiewire said that while the set-up was outstanding, the plot and characters 'never rise to the same highs', and the Hollywood Reporter said that it is 'ultimately lacking in subtext and thematic heft' even if it is engaging. The musical aspect of the re-make also left much to be desired according to The Wrap. While the Disney animation was awash with unforgettable tunes like 'The Bear Necessities' and 'I Wanna Be Like You', this time the songs were handled 'somewhat haphazardly'. 'The film would have been better served by either cutting the numbers altogether or by taking a full plunge', the publication concluded.

'The Jungle Book' is set to hit US theaters on April 15th 2016.