Movie Reviews: The Legend of Tarzan
John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgård), formerly known as Tarzan the Lord of the Apes, now lives a civilised life in London with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie). He is invited by King Leopold of Belgium to visit Africa but refuses. Then, the American Dr. George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) convinces him to go in order to prove that the Belgians are using slave labour. Jane insists on accompanying them, but it all turns out to be a trap. The amoral Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) has promised to deliver Tarzan into the hands of a vengeance-seeking African chief in exchange for diamonds to fund an invasion of the Congo.
I have a limited knowledge of the Tarzan films, so I can't really say how this one measure up to the rest. I have only ever seen the 1999 Disney version and 1984's Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes starring Christopher Lambert. I have seen the Disney version so many times that it was quite hard to separate the two. I was half expecting the Phil Collins songs to kick in, especially when Tarzan's ape mother peers into his crib in a shot that seemed like it was taken straight out of the Disney version.
Alexander Skarsgård made a good Tarzan in my opinion. He certainly looked the part and it didn't take him long to take his shirt off upon arriving in Africa. There was much talk of this film's version of Jane being a string female character instead of a damsel in distress as she is usually depicted. This version of Jane certainly is sassy, but she still ends up getting captured by the villain.
Christoph Waltz is fine as the villain as per usual, but the part of Leon Rom is the sort of role he can play in his sleep. Much better is Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams. He basically acts as the comic relief and reacts with understandable surprise at most things that happen.
I think this film was an attempt to kick off a new Tarzan franchise, but I don't think it made enough money to warrant a sequel. That's a real pity as I would have liked to have seen more from the characters. Especially more of Margot Robbie as Jane. She was one of the best things about the Suicide Squad film, so I would happily watch anything she is in. Maybe she would have had more to do in a sequel instead of being little more than a damsel in distress.
Three pointy hats.
Next time: The Deadly Spawn
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