Hollywood revivals of classics are all too often overproduced, underwhelming and entirely forgettable.  But that’s not the case with Disney’s newest version of “The Jungle Book.”  Director Jon Favreau’s interpretation of the beloved tale is an almost flawless success that’s a must-watch.

Before the actual film played, a short clip of Favreau came up where he spoke about his personal connection, as a young boy, with Rudyard Kipling’s short story, on which the film is based. The director cherished Mowgli’s journey from a little boy to a man, and wanted his remake of the timeless tale to evoke the same feelings that stirred him as a child. He succeeded.

The movie, which released on April 15, grabs the attention of the audience right from the beginning, as a young boy darts through a lively jungle, accompanied with exciting action shots and a dynamic score composed by John Debney. This opening scene is also where the audience first hears the captivating voice of Ben Kingsley, playing the fierce panther protector, Bagheera.

While almost all of the characters were computer-generated, the most enchanting part of the movie was the sole human — rookie Neel Sethi’s portrayal of the caring, clever and courageous Mowgli.

Sethi’s starring role as the wolf-raised orphan Mowgli was beyond impressive. In his portrayal of Mowgli, Sethi added dimensions that the cartoon character didn’t have, like the feel of an underdog and an ugly duckling. Once he accepted who he was and stopped trying to change, things fell into place.

As for the rest of the cast – actors who are anything but rookies – I wasn’t let down. Bill Murray voices Mowgli’s goofy bear friend, Baloo, and perfectly captures the “cool uncle” vibe of the original 1967 cartoon. Christopher Walken’s performance of the orangutan King Louie also stood out. His voice was immediately recognizable, in addition to being authoritative and sinister.

When it came to the villains, the tiger Shere Khan, voiced by Idris Elba, was as cruel as ever with his have-no-mercy attitude, a nice contrast to the goofy protagonists. Kaa, the cunning serpent, who was originally Shere Khan’s henchman, was voiced by Scarlett Johansson. In the original film, Kaa was male, but Johansson’s silky, persuasive voice was perfect for the snake role. However, I wish Kaa had more than just one scene.

My only real criticism was the way that the two songs from the ‘60s cartoon were slapped into the storyline. Baloo and Mowgli’s “Bare Necessities” felt out of the blue, and weren’t set up very well, emerging after the the camera cut to a new scene. The lyrics of King Louie’s “I Wanna Be Like You” felt out of place with the dialogue, which disappointed. Though I was still shamelessly humming to both songs, I wish that they were introduced in a way that felt more natural. This would’ve given both songs the spotlight they deserved.

Overall, the film’s core themes of family, manhood and sacrifice were well illustrated with a star-studded cast and a captivating depiction of a fantasy world. For those who are looking for something family-friendly filled with action and splashes of comedy, this is the movie to watch.

“The Jungle Book” is playing at the following movie theaters: AMC Mercado 20 in Santa Clara, Cinemark 20 at the Great Mall in Milpitas, and Almaden Cinema in San Jose.