Let me start by saying I always enjoyed the Tarzan storyline although I find it similar to that of The Jungle Book with the main differences being one deals with a little boy and other with a boy who grows into a full blown man who lives in the Jungle. Growing up, I enjoyed the 1999 Disney epic although I found Phil Collins music to be more iconic and memorable than the rest of the movie which was good but not on the same level as the music. One cannot ever forget the sheer power of the Oscar winning song You'll Be In My Heart upon first hearing it. Viewing the trailers for this movie before it's release, part of me thought that it did look like a solid retelling of the story, but the other part said we really didn't need to see another adaptation of the Tarzan storyline brought to the big screen once again as it's already been retold with Christopher Lambert and Casper Van Dien. What makes this version appealing is not just that it looks like Peter Jackson's King Kong visually but it also boasts a strong cast among the likes of Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel Jackson, and Christolph Waltz. Going into the movie, I expected nothing but to get a solid old fashioned popcorn flick that looks great visually and would give me some decent thrills to make it through it's 2 hour running time which feels a bit slow paced at times. Coming out of the movie, I felt the film did just that despite having its share of problems.
Legend Of Tarzan is a reasonably satisfying action adventure flick that brings nothing new to the genre but provides a good dose of fun in regards to it's jungle man formula. The film for the most part is well acted and looks rich in terms of background scope, art-set decoration, and costume design, but tends to run a bit slow at times while having flashbacks showing us Tarzan and Jane's relationship prior and their first encounter which straight up feels like it's been lifted from Phil Collins Tarzan movie. Its almost like there was a film before this one that we didn't get to see and are getting glimpse, perhaps as a homage to that film. One also could almost look at this film as being an undisclosed sequel to that one except whereas that one is animated and had a kickass soundtrack, this movie is live action and more intense with it's story. The story centers around Tarzan, having adjusted to life in London, finds himself being called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the questionable activities at a mining encampment. Putting aside the obvious joking that it could be viewed as a sequel to the 1999 Disney film, the main issue with this movies storyline is it doesn't come off as being quite compelling in regards to the story of Tarzan. Christolph Waltz does a very good job at playing a sleazy character but one feels he wasn't developed fully enough to make the audience truly despise him as a villain, though he brings his A game to the part. Margot Robbie does a solid job as Jane but she feels a bit underused in this movie coming off as being a typical damsel in distress. Samuel Jackson does a great job playing Tarzan's sidekick and even has some funny moments he shares with the lead character such as their gorilla encounter. As for Alex Skarsgard, one could say he physically looks the part but he wasn't really given enough material to truly take that role and expand on it in the movie as his acting is passable but not amazing. Personally I would've picked someone else for the part as Alex wouldn't be my first choice as his acting comes off as being awkward, but look wise he has the part down. I also felt the whole subplot involving Tarzan living in England wasn't that important and couldve been dropped for a more faster paced story. They could've sped up that subplot a lot quicker to get him back to the Jungle where the heart of the story is at. The filmmakers however deserve points for being creative with it and trying to do something different than present a typical origin story revolving around Tarzan. The two key things that make this movie work besides its strong cast is the action and the stunning cinematography the film boasts. Tarzan has an epic scene where he fights a gorilla which shows both as being true beasts lashing out as well as becoming one of the marketing's defining moments in the trailers.
Despite my criticisms of the movie, I found Legend Of Tarzan to be good summer popcorn entertainment that looks great visually and carries with it a good dose of excitement and more importantly, it has heart. The CGI though couldve been touched up in certain places especially when showing the gorillas but it's not terrible to the point where it becomes majorly distracting. The film does move at a slow pace at times especially within the first half but once Tarzan returns to the jungle, the movie truly comes to life. If one goes into this movie expecting an origin tale like say the 1999 Disney movie then they are going to be disappointed. If you go in expecting a different retelling of the story that takes some risks then you'll be surprised and may find the experience rewarding. Despite my dissatisfaction with some of the story elements, they did a decent job trying to present a different kind of Tarzan story to the big screen as well as being a more realistic one. The story of Tarzan first and foremost is the story of a man whose driven by the love and commitment of his mate but also the will and determination to succeed in rescuing her. The filmmakers deserve commending for bringing this character back to the big screen in a way where he can captivate young audiences while introducing them to the story. Despite its flaws, movie looks as if it was handled with care and excitement for bringing it back to the big screen. Strong performances, compelling action, and awesome cinematography make this one worth watching on the big screen although one felt it couldve been better ultimately. Overall, Legend of Tarzan is a good movie, it's just not a great one but actors like Christolph Waltz and Samuel Jackson carry the film when the ball drops along with the cinematography. Perhaps it's main issue was it was missing Phil Collins music (that's a joke), actually it has more to do with the script than anything else as characters like Christolph Walt'z character lacks true development to become a true menacing villain. Its a fun movie just not a great one but in terms of visual style, it's one of the best looking Tarzan movies ever put on film and more realistic.
7.5 out of 10
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