Review of The Legend of Tarzan (2016) by Pipec — 05 Aug 2016

Tarzan Yells In Anger Through The Jungle.

It seems that the man of the jungle will always have a place in modern film. After 104 years of to know the story created by Edgar Rice Burroughs about "Tarzan", David Yates (he directed the last four films of the wizard more famous of the history), Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer reinvented the classic keeping the origins intact, but transfiguring the future of the character of a form gloomy and dark; many products have been inspired in the legend but none like the of Tarzan in the 19th century.

Alexander Skarsgard interprets to a different Tarzan, who poses in each frame, it gives some elegance to the film, but reduces the coarseness of the masculinity of the original, nevertheless, it is a good renovation. Jane (Margot Robbie, our intrepid Harley Quinn of "Suicide Squad") portrays the essence of a woman of the 19th century, refined, frank and fearful, although Robbie impregnates it a pinch of feminism, something very characteristic of our time; I can only say that Jane is not a damsel in danger, perhaps, it is she who save to Tarzan. Comical integration that can not miss is called Samuel L. Jackson, Washington Williams is the companion in the long trip to the Congo. And the best for the end, I have always been a lover of the villains of Mr. Waltz ("Spectre") and with Captain Rom adds an interpretation a little more burlesque with trace of his previous performances, but with a new face, a spectacle in every word, in every dialogue, in every shot.

With a not very frequent prologue in the current Hollywood, the film puts us in the nineteenth century, where John Clayton (name of the king of the jungle) converses with national congressmen in order to travel to Congo to prevent the extermination of a tribe very dear to him, he clearly accepts and after a short love affair, where Jane wants to go, but Tarzan refuses in order not to lose her, Jane, Tarzan and Williams initiate the perilous trip through the wet and dangerous jungles of the Congo. Hours after they settle in the tribe (with a implicit sex scene, Yes, Tarzan has needs too), they are ambushed by Waltz. Tarzan plays James Bond for a few minutes, but he is aggressively hit and remains unconscious for a few seconds, ideal period time to kidnap some members of the community and Jane - the goal was to capture Tarzan, not to Jane -. I do not why Hollywood wants to invade each story with romanticism, Tarzan and Jane have romantic potential, but no more love, it already was enough.

There is a beautiful and insightful component, in addition to the chases, fights or stampedes. We have witnessed a long trip in which illustrate the beginnings of a child grown in the jungle, an expedition that goes back to 1918 with "Tarzan of the Apes"; series, films, TV films, comedies, animations, dramas and even pornography have been based on the story. It is implausible not knowing the foundations of the guy and "The Legend of Tarzan" knows very well handle that past, Yates was intelligent and objective by omitting the beginnings that no one in the movie theater was willing to return to see, subtly positioned are found flashbacks that objectively elucidates the origins and they added the first moment in which the wild man met Jane. Support plots, which are accommodated with total convenience and complacency.

The film respects the parameters imposed by the story, it does not require millionaire special effects nor technological artifices, however, it avails itself of both. Fidelity of a work towards to its reference is essential if you don't have a sufficiently unusual idea to eclipse the original, this time they decide to leave the past behind and projecting a Tarzan that continues with the same ideals of earlier, Jane is fresh and determined and Jackson is the humorous part, despite this, the loyalty and novelty to be injected in the film are underestimated by the somber harmony of the final result.

"The Legend of Tarzan" suffers from many shortcomings, nevertheless, it executes action scenes with total perfection. It has long I do not saw a film with so much excellence technical. The best thing the reinvention of Yates was the majesty of his scenes. Shot perfectly positioned - just in case, Were Tarantino or Spielberg involved in this? -, angles geometrically precise, focus thoroughly outstanding and a shocking visual landscape. While many of the few animals on screen are executed by CGI or animatronic, the film retains the same perplexity of "The Jungle Book" by Jon Favreau.

Technically, one of the best movies of the 2016 and an of the more innovative and dark stories of the man of the jungle, "The Legend of Tarzan" is a good escapist entertainment for put a side superheros, animations or catastrophes. A professional cast, memorable action scenes and a near-perfect cinematography are intimidate by generic long scenes, cliches of the genre and a sluggish pace.