I’ve never really been all that enamoured with the story of Tarzan.
I know it’s considered by many to be a classic – you’ll probably like at least one of the many films or stories – but I can’t remember really being bothered by any of them.
However, casting the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz and Alexander Skarsgård in The Legend of Tarzan (TLOT) certainly perked my interest.
Directed by acclaimed Harry Potter filmmaker David Yates, TLOT deals with both Tarzan’s (True Blood’s Skarsgård) origins and his legacy – while also including a number of solid action sequences.
Interestingly, the main plot line is set against the backdrop of the true story of the horrifying Belgian genocide in the Congo.
Keeping that trend going, this take on Tarzan includes two real-life characters in George Washington Williams (Jackson) and Léon Rom (Waltz).
Although we’re drip-fed ample slices of Tarzan’s storied past in flashbacks – growing up in the wild with apes, etc – we actually meet him in 1890 as John Clayton, who has been integrated into British aristocracy as The Earl of Greystoke.
Living in a huge mansion with wife Jane (Robbie), he’s not been back to Africa in a decade and is now seen as something of a celebrity in his native continent.
Despite having no interest in returning to his homeland, American Civil War veteran Williams talks Clayton/Tarzan into accepting an offer from Belgium’s King Leopold II to visit the Congo as a trade delegate – as he suspects that the nation is being enslaved.
However, Tarzan isn’t aware that he is walking into a trap deployed by the villainous Rom, who is intent on handing him over to tribe chief Mbonga (Djimon Honsou) in exchange for having free access to a huge stash of expensive diamonds that are found on his well-defended patch.
There are plenty more threads and issues explored in TLOT, but that’s the main plot in a nutshell.
It’s very easy to root for Tarzan here, as the Belgian oppression is pretty appalling. Rom and his cronies – including DC’s Legends of Tomorrow villain Casper Crump – do a solid job of making you hate them.
Waltz, as ever, is a strong bad guy. It’s just a shame that the script didn’t allow him to flex his muscles a little more.
The same can be said of Jackson and Robbie, who could have been used better.
As for Skarsgård, I was a big fan of him on his lengthy run in True Blood. This (to my knowledge) is his first big lead role – and I thought he did pretty well.
It was a “less is more” role, with Tarzan clearly a man of few words. He spends plenty of time showing off his physique and fighting both humans and animals, which mostly worked well.
I have to admit that the scenes where he communicated and bonded with certain animals didn’t hit their mark as well as the action sequences – mostly because they felt largely ridiculous.
Also not quite so impressive are the special effects used on the scenes involving apes.
Given how impressive they look in the recent Planet Of The Apes films, it’s disappointing that this side of things let the movie down.
There are plenty of action scenes that do hit their mark, though. Overall, TLOT does do a solid job of keeping you interested – and it’s certainly a decent popcorn fare.
Sadly, it should really be a lot more than that given its very impressive cast.
Don’t expect to be thrilled, but you’ll certainly be entertained by what is another solid action offering.
Voice Verdict: 6.5/10 (reviewed at Boston’s West End Cinema)
+ Plenty of action
+ Very strong cast….
– ….although they aren’t utilised that well
– Animal guff
SHOWTIMES
Boston’s West End Cinema (Fri, July 15 to Thurs, July 21)
**GHOSTBUSTERS 3D (12A)
3.15pm (daily), 8.30pm (daily)
**GHOSTBUSTERS 2D (12A)
10.30am (Sat/Sun), 1pm (Sat/Sun/Wed), 6pm (daily)
**THE LEGEND OF TARZAN 3D (12A)
12.45pm (Sat/Sun/Wed), 6pm (daily)
**THE LEGEND OF TARZAN 2D (12A)
10.30am (Sun), 3.30pm (daily), 8.40pm (daily)
**ICE AGE 5: COLLISION COURSE 3D (U)
10.25am (Sat/Sun), 3pm (daily), 8pm (daily)
**ICE AGE 5: COLLISION COURSE 2D (U)
12.40pm (Sat/Sun/Wed), 5.30pm (daily)
NOW YOU SEE ME 2 (12A)
3.30pm (daily), 8.30pm (daily)
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE (12A)
1pm (Sat/Sun/Wed)
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (15)
6.20pm (daily), 8.45pm (not Tues/Thurs)
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2D (U)
10am (Sat/Sun), 12.10pm (Sat/Sun), 2.20pm (Sat/Sun/Wed), 4.30pm (daily), 6.40pm (not Thurs)
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS – SUBTITLED (15)
8.45pm (Tues)
KIDS’ CLUB
Sat/Sun 10.15am – Kung Fu Panda 3 3D (PG)
SILVER SCREEN
Wed 11.30am – Absolutely Fabulous (15)
LIVE EVENT
Thu 7pm – Almeida: Richard III
**FREE LIST SUSPENDED
