PREMIERE.COM REVIEW (posted 2/14/03)

Picking up at the end of the 1967 original, which was inspired by the Rudyard Kipling novel, the sequel finds Mowgli (voiced by Haley Joel Osment) having been adopted by a kind Indian family and schooled in civility — yet never able to silence the beating of the savage drum within him. Nor can jungle-dwelling Baloo (John Goodman), the jolly bear who helped him as a boy, truly let go of the little man-cub he adored. Inevitably, Mowgli runs away into the wild, with his girlfriend, Shanti, and her little brother in tow, and the three must dodge the snake Kaa, the vengeful tiger Shere Khan, and their own fears of being lost and alone. Of course, they also have some fun, too, especially after joining up with Baloo. The musical numbers in the film (which is made by old-school, hand-drawn animation) are enjoyable enough, but the melodies aren't likely stick in your head later (except for a reprise of the original's "Bare Necessities"). For some reason, Mowgli seems younger and even more naive in this installment, and the trials he faces never get perilously dire, making the film no match for the Disney classic. Still, The Jungle Book 2 will definitely keep young audience members entertained for more than an hour, and parents will get a nice break, too.

— Jill Bernstein