Jungle Beat: The Movie is a 2020 animated film directed by Brent Dawes, based on the characters of the television series Jungle Beat. It tells the story of a homesick alien who crash-lands his spaceship near the colorful African Jungle. His new animal friends need to get him back to his ship and teach him about friendship and fun before his Space-Conqueror father can take over the planet.
The film premiered at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and was released by Netflix on May 14, 2021.
Plot
In a jungle isolated in the African plains, live a group of animals including Munki the bold, adventurous monkey, Trunk, the big-hearted elephant, Rocky, the dog-like rhino, Tallbert, the earnest and awkward giraffe, Humph, the grumpy hedgehog who is very protective over his property, Ribbert, the lazy frog, a female ostrich and her three unhatched chicks that always try to escape, and Ray the firefly. One morning, Munki and Trunk wake up to discover that they can speak, which they take advantage of. They learn that the source of them talking is an jello-like, four-legged alien named Fneep, who has come from the planet Scaldron to conquer Earth and has brought some amazing technology with him, including a translation device called a speech pod that lets the animals talk for the first time that Munki tries on the others. The animals make him give in easily and allow themselves to surrender peacefully, making Fneep's conquest a success. They learn from Fneep that his ship crashed near the mountains, and since he's conquered Earth, he can use the homing beacon in his ship that summons the Scaldronians instantly. Munki, Trunk, Rocky, and Humph agree to come with him on the way to Fneep's ship.
While crossing the plains, they meet a group of singing wildebeest, whose leader misbelieves that Fneep may become the new leader due to the fact that he's conquered Earth and tries to keep his position, but Fneep manages to outdo him, and tells him that the herd are great at what they do and that only reason they follow him is that they love what he does. Resolved, the leader allows them to pass. One of the ostrich eggs tries to follow them and is almost run over by a wildebeest stampede, hatching in the process. Once out of the egg, she believes that since she is a bird, she can also fly, and tries to, but to no avail. After witnessing the mother ostrich hugging the baby ostrich, he learns that hugs are for making someone feel better, knowing he/she isn't alone, saying "I love you", and to feel special. They learn from Fneep that the only way for Scaldronians to feel special is to conquer planets, which prove that they're strong and worthy of respect, and that he's a terrible conqueror due to not conquering any planets until now. Munki, Trunk, and Rocky tell that it doesn't matter if he hasn't conquered any planets and try to give him hugs, but he refuses.
Meanwhile, Humph, who had gone farther than the others, finds Fneep's ship and accidentally jumpstarts the ship by making a hole in the hull after ramming it several times and touches the exposed wire with his tongue after being lured by the spark's bright light, which electrocutes him and elongates his spikes. He learns from a hologram from Fneep's father, Captain Grogon, that Fneep's next step in conquering Earth is to capture all the Earth creatures and imprison them in the Scaldronian museum, the Great Hall Of Conquest, and sets off to rejoin and warn the others. Later that night, Fneep goes to the ship all by himself and after getting back into his ship, a long 60-step reading of the Planet Conquering Manual of how to activate the homing beacon, which is fact, just a simple red button for just 60 steps, pushes the beacon, and Grogon's ship arrives instantly above him.