Honest Trailers Season 1 Episode 166 The Jungle Book (2016) - Honest Trailers

In season 1 episode 166 of Honest Trailers, the team takes on the classic tale of The Jungle Book in its 2016 iteration. The episode begins by calling the movie a "Disney-fied Avengers" due to the star-studded voice cast, including Bill Murray, Idris Elba, and Scarlett Johansson. The narrator pokes fun at the fact that despite being set in India, the animals all speak with British accents.

The Honest Trailer then dives into the impressive visual effects, which brought the animal characters to life in a photorealistic way. However, the team also notes that the animals are strangely clean and free of any real animalistic behaviors. They also joke about the movie's reliance on musical numbers, with several characters breaking into song for no apparent reason.

The narrator then moves on to the movie's plot, which follows Mowgli, a "man-cub" raised by wolves, as he tries to find his place in the jungle while also avoiding the wrath of the villainous tiger, Shere Khan. The Honest Trailer points out that while the plot is simple and straightforward, the movie still manages to insert unnecessary subplots and side characters, like the Gigantopithecus King Louie, voiced by Christopher Walken.

As the trailer progresses, the Honest Trailer team continues to poke fun at various aspects of the movie, including the strange inclusion of a giant snake voiced by Johansson, who sings a seductive song to Mowgli. They also call out Murray's lackluster performance as the lovable bear Baloo and question why Elba's character, Shere Khan, seems to be more of a political strategist than a man-eating tiger.

Towards the end of the episode, the team acknowledges the movie's heartwarming messages about family and acceptance but also notes that the film's tone is often jarring, switching between humor and darker, more serious themes. The Honest Trailer ends with a series of humorous alternate titles for the movie, including "The Lion King 2: Return of the Jungle" and "Furry Vengeance."

Overall, this episode of Honest Trailers offers a light-hearted and humorous take on the 2016 adaptation of The Jungle Book, acknowledging both its strengths and weaknesses.