"Andy Serkis' passion for his work shines through, and it cannot be denied that this is present throughout the film"

The anticipated 'Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle' is here after a much awaited delay in production, and it is worth the wait.

As director, Andy Serkis' passion for his work shines through, and it cannot be denied that this is present throughout the film. I hasten to add that I am part of the film community that is skeptical of Disney's 1967 masterpiece, 'The Jungle Book' being adapted. However, this film is not 'The Jungle Book', nor does it try to be. It is based on the series of short stories, 'All The Mowgli Stories', written by Rudyard Kipling, which gives the plot a fresh reimagining, aided by the addition of new characters.

Visually and sonically the film is stunning, with vibrant colours bursting through the screen, portraying the deadly jungle in which the characters live. The most adrenaline filled scenes are underpinned with poignant music from Nitin Sawhney. The motion capture and CGI are incredible elements of this visual feast.

The film does not shy away from being gritty (for a children's film) and can be dark. Arguably, one plot twist seemed quite dark for a children's film, and left me heartbroken as a viewer. It could be said that the impact they wanted to achieve from the screenplay, was achieved - to portray this as a coming of age story for Mowgli by exploring the theme of 'going through a journey to find out where you belong' quite well and with all of the tribulations that come with it.