The Jungle Bunch

Combine a selection of personified animal heroes, an evil koala and his crab henchman, and what do we get? The Jungle Bunch, a slightly confusing, somewhat boring, but extremely endearing film that will leave kids laughing all day long. Directed by David Alaux and adapted from The Jungle Bunch television series, the picture combines wonderful animation with suspense that will sometimes leave viewers hanging on the edge of their seats.

Though the movie may not appeal to older folks, its colourful hero-cycle story follows a variety of animals – not all of which necessarily belong in a tropical forest – as a psychopathic koala tries to destroy their habitat because – why else – he was rejected from the original Jungle Champs, the leader of which is protagonist tiger penguin Maurice’s adoptive mum. Maurice has got a whole lot on his plate: his mother tries to prevent him from restarting the Jungle Bunch, as one of the group’s members died saving local animals when the koala had his first attempt at destroying the jungle. Let down, Maurice sets off on his own, banding together with his adopted goldfish grandson, Junior, which somewhat complicates the plot – how old is Maurice? Old enough to have a son, apparently, but young enough to live with his mother.

Confusing details aside, the film manages to deliver a consistent, somewhat simple storyline for children, although it may bore their accompanying adult, and some great characters. Al and Bob are a lovely duo of parental frog figures who hop along muttering sarcastic comments, and the gorilla, Miguel, is not the smartest banana of the bunch. Batricia the bat (of course) always swoops in to save the day, while trying to get romantic with the oblivious tarsier, Gilbert. This unwieldy gang of adorable animals somehow escapes multiple obstacles with chances of death weighing in at about 1,000,000 to one.

Though one may get lost along the wild ride full of complicated parent-child relationships, enslaved primates and goofy animated animals, The Jungle Bunch makes for an afternoon of easy laughs, gasps, and exploding mushroom booby traps.  

Laura Boyle

The Jungle Bunch is released 15^th September 2017.

Watch the trailer for The Jungle Bunch here: