Film Review: Jungle Trouble is entertaining, but plot is riddled with holes

The school holidays are a perfect time to introduce younger members of the family to the cinema. Jungle Trouble from the Iranian director Behnoud Nekooei imagines a world where kids can be superheroes and animals talk - not a bad introduction to cinema.

Mohsen is obsessed with superheroes. He calls himself Nimble Kid and sees himself as a local hero. During a family picnic, he encounters a group of rabbits and excitedly shares stories about his favourite heroes with them.

Chaos erupts as gunfire rings out - poachers are attacking a group of tigers. Mohsen wants to help, but his parents urgently pile him into their car to escape the danger. In a bold move, he manages to slip away, leaving his parents in a state of shock.

Racing into the forest, he encounters a terrifying sight: a tiger under fire. To his surprise, the tiger speaks perfect human language, momentarily catching Mohsen off guard as they evade the poachers together.

The tiger leaps into the boot of his parents car, determined to join Mohsen on his journey home. But things take a chaotic turn when Mohsen’s little sister wants something from the boot, and the tiger jams it shut, preventing anyone from opening it.

With no way to open the boot, Mohsen’s dad, a builder, takes them to his workplace to retrieve some tools. What follows is pure chaos when the tiger begins causing mayhem at the busy construction site. Mohsen suits up and uses his powers to blast the tiger back into the forest.

However, the tiger, named Tigy, refuses to stay away and returns to Mohsen’s home, convinced that Nimble Kid is the key to dealing with the hunters. This unlikely partnership leads Tigy to school with Mohsen, where he cleverly disguises himself as a kid and even plays football.

Through their adventures, Mohsen learns that Tigy is one of the last surviving tigers of his breed. Determined to protect his friend, Mohsen hatches a bold plan. Despite a history of misbehaviour on school trips, he persuades his teacher to let him go and he sneaks Tigy into a suitcase with the intention of keeping him safe. But when the hunters catch up to them, Nimble Kid uses his power suit to confront the threat head-on.

Tigy bravely takes a bullet meant for Mohsen, and the stakes skyrocket. Can this young superhero overcome the deadly poachers and save his brave tiger friend? And with the help of some animal allies, will they secure a victory against the odds?

It feels a bit mean to be hard on a kid’s cartoon, but Jungle Trouble is a little on the ropey side. The plot is riddled with holes, the animation is alright, but not the most imaginative, and a semi-musical number feels misplaced. In saying that, little kids will enjoy the adventure elements, and guardians will be happy to have the kids entertained for 90 minutes.

Jungle Trouble, in cinemas now, Cert: G, **