"The Legend of Tarzan" Review

Title: The Legend of Tarzan

Directed by: David Yates

Written by: Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer

Year: 2016


The Legend of Tarzan is the latest iteration of the famous character who was raised by apes, of whom there have been several. What really does a disservice to this film is that The Jungle Book came out just a few months ago and it will undoubtedly be compared to that picture. But Tarzan is a character that should be able to stand on his own. So is this movie an unnecessary reimagining, or is it full of life?

Eight years after the famous story as you know it, Tarzan is a wealthy lord living in England. But, he is invited to return to the Congo as a trade emissary, unaware of the slavery that has taken over his old home. Can he get back in touch with his wild side to save his homeland, or is he too far removed to be of any help?

Something that will take many by surprise, myself included, is the fact that this movie is a sequel of sorts. It does not tell Tarzan's origin story, but is rather a follow-up to it. However, the film does occasionally flashback to his past to give the audience a bit of a recap. But I will expand on that when I speak about the story.

Alexander Skarsgard makes for a fine Tarzan. He certainly sells the physicality of the role and he seems invested in the material. The problem is that Tarzan is a rather bland character in this adaptation. A lot of his dialogue is not appealing and Skarsgard will sometimes present some stale delivery. Margot Robbie plays Jane, Tarzan's wife, and she is quite impressive. In this version, Jane is a character that demands a very strong actress and Robbie fits the bill. She excels at being a snarky and powerful woman that rarely shows fear. Robbie commands the screen and always has the audience's attention.

Christoph Waltz always makes for an entertaining villain, and he does not disappoint in this film. Waltz has a charm and magnetism so uniquely his and he brings it into his performance. Waltz is great as Leon Rom, portraying a formidable villain for the tree-swinger. But the best addition to the cast is, without a doubt, Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson's character, George Washington Williams, is the most enjoyable out of the group, with most of the comedic lines coming from him. George is very charismatic and quite the wisecracker, which complements Jackson's abilities tremendously well. Thoroughly entertaining and providing a consistent sense of fun, Jackson often steals the show with his portrayal.

The story is quite interesting on a surface level. The film begins with the villains meeting each other. There are two antagonists; one who wants Tarzan dead as an act of revenge, and another who is using slavery to become rich. The former, played by Djimon Hounsou, could have been an incredibly interesting character and an excellent villain, seeing as how he has a history with Tarzan. However, he is given too little screen time to make an impact and his story concludes so abruptly it becomes an afterthought. Leon Rom on the other hand, is a great antagonist. He is a good foil for the titular character and an ever-present threat throughout the picture.

The film spends a bit of its time in England, setting up the Greystoke storyline. These scenes are intriguing and establish the story well, but are filmed rather shoddily in terms of atmosphere and color. Perhaps this was done purposely to contrast and emphasize how lively Africa is, but these scenes in London do suffer a tad as a result. They are too gray and drab for their own good. The lighting is often uninteresting and the pacing is awkward. The scenes are not at all bad, but required improvement.

Once our heroes reach Africa, the story really picks up. Immediately, we are treated to a scene that presents Tarzan's emotional attachment to his old home. The Legend of Tarzan does a surprisingly good job at bringing a history to the story without resorting to exposition-dumping. The movie implements flashbacks to fill the audience in effectively, and characters refer to past events casually. George was not present in Africa eight years ago so it is quite natural that he would need to be caught up. George essentially acts as the viewer's perspective. The plot is very mature, which might throw some viewers off. It deals with slavery and colonization without ever "dumbing it down" for the audience, which is admirable.

The aesthetics and atmosphere of the jungle are pulled off terrifically. There is a heavy use of mist that complements the lush environments on display and no two parts of the jungle are alike. The look and feel of the film is one of its highlights. It truly brings the Congo to life, with the riverboat sequences being some of the standouts. Most of this comes down to the stellar cinematography, which captures the ferocity and ever-changing nature of the jungle wonderfully.

The visual effects for the animals are quite spectacular. The CGI is equally impressive as it is convincing. Each of the animals looks very natural and seamlessly blends with the backgrounds. There is the occasional hiccup of an animal looking superimposed, but for the majority of the film, the creatures look great. The visual effects reach their peak in the scenes involving the mangani and the stampede near the end. The music is nothing you will be humming walking out of the theatre, but it functions as an engrossing underscore. The notes hit a suitable tone for the picture and accompany the action scenes marvelously.

One of my biggest problems with The Legend of Tarzan is the tone. The movie is faulted in taking itself too seriously at times. This is a story about a man who was raised by a fictional race of gorillas and swings on vines. Surely some fun could be allowed. That is why Jackson's character works so well. He embodies the fun nature of which the film is slightly void. Do not mistake me, I am all for a darker tone, and this story certainly finds success in its grit. But if a few of the scenes were a bit lighter, it would have made for a more enjoyable experience.

The flashbacks were another facet of this flick that bothered me a bit. Most of the time, these were beneficial, periodcally providing information that was vital to the plot while also adding weight to the emotional core of the movie. However, there was the occasional flashback that felt out of place or tacked-on. This, in turn, affected the pacing, as it felt as if the film was being interrupted by something far less important than what was diegetically occurring.

Another issue I have with this movie is the final third. The third act of the film comes out of nowhere, presenting itself without invitation. The lack of an appropriate transition is apparent and quite jarring. In addition, this final segment feels very rushed. It seems as if the script is in such a hurry to wrap up the story. Were the film 15 to 20 minutes longer, I think the pacing of this final act would have benefitted greatly. All that being said, there are a number of awesome action sequences as the film draws to a close.

While on that subject, the action overall is satisfying. Tarzan's fight with a mangani is visceral and you feel the impact of every punch. And his final confrontation with the leader of an African tribe is really well executed. But the best moment to come from this film is the train sequence. The manner in which it is shot, acted, and written all mixes magnificently to produce a fun chase/fight sequence. The use of different levels for the action, such as swinging from the trees, is inventive. There is also just the right amount of humor, but it never overshadows the bigger and darker picture of slaves being transported.

The Legend of Tarzan is not getting the best of reviews at the moment, and I do not understand why. Is this the next great masterpiece? No, but the film does offer a grand scope, a beautiful and captivating atmosphere, solid characters, and an engaging story. Samuel L. Jackson steals the flick with his charming character and the visual effects are very good. The film struggles with its pacing and could have been improved if the tone were altered. But as it stands, I feel that this is a highly enjoyable summer movie that is more intelligent than it is getting credit for.

Grade: B+