Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle: unnecessary sadism in cinema (Spoilers)

for anyone who has seen this, you know exactly what i'm talking about:

in a movie about finding your place, you have this warm ray of optimism and perseverance



he's the friend of Mowgli and, as a runt albino, serves as the counterpart to Mowgli's journey

first, it's expected that Mowgli, in his frustration at being kicked out, will lash out at Bhoot.

quote:

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Bhoot: You’ve been spending a lot of time on your own since the monkey-people. It’s not good to be alone. Wolves are supposed to be with other wolves.
Mowgli: I’m not a wolf.
Bhoot: Of course you are, Mowgli. You’re the best wolf I know.
Mowgli: Why do you always want to be around me, Bhoot?
Bhoot: Because you’re my best friend, Mowgli. I understand what it’s like. For nobody to want you. I don’t have any friends neither. But we have each other. And we’re kind of same, you and me.
Mowgli: We’re not the same.
Bhoot: Of course we are. Because you’re special and I’m special.
Mowgli: We’re not special! Don’t you get it? We’ll never be one of them! We’re freaks! You’re not special, Bhoot! It’s just something your mother tells you to make you feel better about yourself because you came out wrong!

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while very mean, it's not out of place. this is the typical sort of response you'd expect out of kids who are outcasts and being pushed more towards the edge of society. this is the sort of irrational-emotional conflict that brings friends together in the end (and it is very natural and normal)

however, this is what we get:



a random bit of conflict on the level of D/D from GOT. Mowgli stumbles upon the taxidermied head of Bhhot (and they even make the head smile). this is pure sadism. there is no redemption arc for Bhoot, nor is there one for the Mowgli-Bhoot relationship. there is just crass shock value for no reason other than adding shock.

i'm a fan of dark things, but this isn't dark. this is just sadism. this is a Hostel-level inclusion

dark is having Mowgli and Bhoot reunited and then Bhoot dying doing something bold/brave in the spirit of moving the narrative forward (and likely bringing Mowgli together with the pack). but no, Bhoot is given no chance to have his death mean anything. he's reduced to pure shock for no reason other than shock (the actual shock of that scene could have been accomplished with any animals being taxidermist, not the bff of the protagonist who last saw him in major conflict)

this is trash. utter trash.