I use quotes around live-action because huge portions of the film are computer-generated — for much of it, the only "real" element is Neel Sethi, the young boy who plays Mowgli, the child who was abandoned in the jungle as a baby and raised by wolves and a friendly panther.
But the images are frequently photorealistic and stunning. Occasionally, one of the fake animals will move and it will seem slightly glitchy, as if a computer screensaver is trying to leap off the screen, but The Jungle Book's use of 3D and advanced effects often creates an intoxicating spell. Its jungle is close enough to reality to feel dangerous, but also otherworldly enough to seem like a place you'd love to visit.
The Jungle Book is beautifully directed, despite some flaws
The glue holding The Jungle Book together is director Jon Favreau. Though he's most famous now for directing Elf and the first two Iron Man films, I've always felt his 2005 children's movie Zathura was unfortunately overlooked as a charming film for the younger set.