Review of The Legend of Tarzan (2016) by Greatmartin — 30 Jun 2016

What is there to say about a movie called “The Legend of Tarzan” that doesn’t have the title hero ever appear in a loincloth? Or where his sidekick, a Black man, is the wiser man, a philosopher and has funnier lines than Cheetah ever had? Or where Jane is a 21st century feminist.

This update of the legend of Tarzan does have him swinging from vine to vine, diving into trees, carrying a man on his back as he swings onto a moving train. He fights computer generated apes, losing some, winning some, and he never utters “Me Tarzan, you Jane”, which is a good thing. There has never been a Tarzan as muscularly defined as this one is nor who’s face, including the eyes, are never involved with what emotions he tries to express.

The stars of “The Legend of Tarzan” are production designer Stuart Craig and cinematographer Henry Braham who make Gabon, Africa, look like a Paradise, along with visual effects by Tim Burke including all the animals who are computer generated.

Alexander Skarscard as Tarzan serves a hefty dish of eye candy while Margot Robbie brings feistiness to Jane. Christopher Waltz’s villain is becoming old hat while Samuel L. Jackson brings a much-needed smile or two, along with heroics, while Djimon Hounsou, as a tribal chief, does what he can with the role.