Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Morgan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Rap, magical realism tell brutal tale of London gang life.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
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Where to Watch
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Jungle
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In JUNGLE, UK rap culture brings viewers a drama filled with violence, stunning imagery, and even some magical realism. In a near-future inner-city London, two young men find themselves surrounded by guns, drugs, and the gang life. Each tries to lift themselves and their families out of their station in life but comes face-to-face with the price of their former choices.
Is It Any Good?
Part Romeo + Juliet, part Boyz n the Hood, the limited series, set in a near future London, certainly feels like a Shakespearean tragedy from the start. This British show, Jungle, is a classic tale of characters trapped by their situations, desperately trying to pull "one last job" in order to make a clean break, and its themes are anything but subtle. From the opening monologue there's an overt and ongoing examination of how Black men in "the hood" are forced to hide fear and display aggression in order to survive, the trauma that they experience as a result, and how that feeds into a cycle that repeats itself generation after generation. While the message is clear, the execution is not.
With everything from breaking the fourth wall and mysterious glowing objects to Blade Runner-esque city skylines and conversations carried out using only rap and drill music, the overall feel is decidedly chaotic. Then the story switches to a completely different narrative halfway through. For all its faults, though, Jungle is still highly original and manages to create emotional connections between viewers and the characters, who are incredibly introspective and specific on where they've gone wrong. It's a series that has a lot of valuable lessons, but is also brutally graphic in its depiction of drug abuse, gun violence, and children murdering children, making it suitable for adults only.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Jungle. Did it feel realistic? Do you think it was necessary to the narrative? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
What do you think this movie is trying to say? What can be done to try to prevent the cycle of gang violence?
What did you think of the use of rap and drill music instead of talking in some scenes? Did it help paint a fuller picture of the world the series is set in? How?
At one point Marcus gives a string of advice on how to be a better person. Which things he said stuck with you the most? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 30, 2022
- Cast : Poundz
- Network : Prime Video
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 19, 2022
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