After decades of trying to bring a successful live-action Tarzan film to the big screen, Warner Brothers and director David Yates have come as close as anyone could have hoped for, with The Legend of Tarzan. This Tarzan has a little bit of extra fat in its script and its big scenes don't fly as high as they could, but The Legend of Tarzan is a solid, old-fashioned adventure that is sure to please those looking for an original, uncynical summer blockbuster.
The Legend of Tarzan is set years after the titular jungle man has left Africa and married his one true love, Jane. Having settled into a civilized life in London, John Clayton III, played by Alexander Skarsgard, is called back to the Congo by Leon Rom, an underling of King Leopold of Belgium, played by Christoph Waltz. Rom plans to capture the man formerly known as Tarzan and turn him over to the natives in exchange for diamonds in order to alleviate the King's mounting debt. Tarzan's wife Jane, played by up and coming superstar Margot Robbie, insists on joining her husband on the trip and is soon captured by Rom, who uses her to lure Tarzan into his grasp. Tarzan and Samuel L. Jackson's Civil War veteran George Washington Williams journey across the African wilderness to save Clayton's wife and stop Rom from enslaving the natives of the Congo. Right there is a perfect Tarzan story, bringing a civilized John Clayton back to the wild to rediscover his untamed roots (which we see in a few well done flashback sequences). However, the story gets quite muddled at times, focusing too heavily on the politics of King Leopold's exploitation of the Congo. This political thread is present throughout the film's 110 minute run-time, and it often dilutes the underlying, more adventurous storyline. The story feels unnecessarily padded with politics, when a more straightforward adventure yarn would have been more appropriate.
Most of the film's stars all do well in their parts. Skarsgard unfortunately isn't given much to work with in the script. He's neither the untamed wild man nor the sophisticated gentleman. His character is stuck in limbo. Skarsgard does look the part and he certainly doesn't mangle the role, but his Tarzan is unremarkable. The supporting characters fare better. Robbie, Waltz, and especially Jackson bring much needed energy to the film. Robbie's Jane is plucky without being obnoxious, Waltz is a solid, literal mustache-twirling villain, a role he can play in his sleep by now, and a surprisingly endearing Sam Jackson brings consistent comedic relief as the sidekick, George Washington Williams. Jackson and Waltz's presences elevate the movie in a big way.
The biggest draw of The Legend of Tarzan, the action and special effects, don't disappoint, but don't particularly impress either. Director David Yates, of Harry Potter fame, films the action well and the effects do their job. The animals are all digital here, which is something of a shame considering that while the gorillas, lions, ostriches and more never look fake, I can't say they looked entirely real. The African landscapes are also... okay. The natural locations themselves are gorgeous, but Henry Braham's cinematography is only hit or miss when it comes to capturing that beauty. For every grand vista is a mist-filled gray mess. Still, when things work, they work well. There are moments in this movie where action, cinematography, and special effects come together beautifully and we are treated to some brilliant Tarzan moments. Any time Tarzan swings through the trees is a real treat.
Tarzan has been a difficult property to adapt in modern Hollywood, but luckily The Legend of Tarzan mostly succeeds in doing so. Yes, the political plot line is too heavy a presence in the film's otherwise great story, and yes, the special effects aren't in the same league as some of Hollywood's other big budget blockbusters, but David Yates' adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's classic stories is far from the flop it could have been. The talented cast and sure-handed direction keep the movie afloat and allow for a good amount of thrills. The movie would have benefited greatly from some plot trimming, but The Legend of Tarzan is a solid entertainer and a refreshingly old-fashioned piece of summer fun, nonetheless.
70/100
The Legend of Tarzan is set years after the titular jungle man has left Africa and married his one true love, Jane. Having settled into a civilized life in London, John Clayton III, played by Alexander Skarsgard, is called back to the Congo by Leon Rom, an underling of King Leopold of Belgium, played by Christoph Waltz. Rom plans to capture the man formerly known as Tarzan and turn him over to the natives in exchange for diamonds in order to alleviate the King's mounting debt. Tarzan's wife Jane, played by up and coming superstar Margot Robbie, insists on joining her husband on the trip and is soon captured by Rom, who uses her to lure Tarzan into his grasp. Tarzan and Samuel L. Jackson's Civil War veteran George Washington Williams journey across the African wilderness to save Clayton's wife and stop Rom from enslaving the natives of the Congo. Right there is a perfect Tarzan story, bringing a civilized John Clayton back to the wild to rediscover his untamed roots (which we see in a few well done flashback sequences). However, the story gets quite muddled at times, focusing too heavily on the politics of King Leopold's exploitation of the Congo. This political thread is present throughout the film's 110 minute run-time, and it often dilutes the underlying, more adventurous storyline. The story feels unnecessarily padded with politics, when a more straightforward adventure yarn would have been more appropriate.
Most of the film's stars all do well in their parts. Skarsgard unfortunately isn't given much to work with in the script. He's neither the untamed wild man nor the sophisticated gentleman. His character is stuck in limbo. Skarsgard does look the part and he certainly doesn't mangle the role, but his Tarzan is unremarkable. The supporting characters fare better. Robbie, Waltz, and especially Jackson bring much needed energy to the film. Robbie's Jane is plucky without being obnoxious, Waltz is a solid, literal mustache-twirling villain, a role he can play in his sleep by now, and a surprisingly endearing Sam Jackson brings consistent comedic relief as the sidekick, George Washington Williams. Jackson and Waltz's presences elevate the movie in a big way.
The biggest draw of The Legend of Tarzan, the action and special effects, don't disappoint, but don't particularly impress either. Director David Yates, of Harry Potter fame, films the action well and the effects do their job. The animals are all digital here, which is something of a shame considering that while the gorillas, lions, ostriches and more never look fake, I can't say they looked entirely real. The African landscapes are also... okay. The natural locations themselves are gorgeous, but Henry Braham's cinematography is only hit or miss when it comes to capturing that beauty. For every grand vista is a mist-filled gray mess. Still, when things work, they work well. There are moments in this movie where action, cinematography, and special effects come together beautifully and we are treated to some brilliant Tarzan moments. Any time Tarzan swings through the trees is a real treat.
Tarzan has been a difficult property to adapt in modern Hollywood, but luckily The Legend of Tarzan mostly succeeds in doing so. Yes, the political plot line is too heavy a presence in the film's otherwise great story, and yes, the special effects aren't in the same league as some of Hollywood's other big budget blockbusters, but David Yates' adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough's classic stories is far from the flop it could have been. The talented cast and sure-handed direction keep the movie afloat and allow for a good amount of thrills. The movie would have benefited greatly from some plot trimming, but The Legend of Tarzan is a solid entertainer and a refreshingly old-fashioned piece of summer fun, nonetheless.
70/100