Not Your Rosie O’Donnell Tarzan
My strongest memory of Tarzan is of the animated Disney feature back in 1999. I thought the premise was fascinating and loved to “shuby do da da da” over and over again. It seems the Tarzan on my childhood is long gone, ushering in a much darker tone that feels commonplace in our post-Nolan world. The tone may reflect that of the original novel it is based upon. I’m not sure since I never bothered to read it. That being said, the quality of the film is exhilarating. The gorillas are comparable to those of the Planet of the Apes series in realism. Alexander Skarsgard of True Blood fame looks to portray the titular hero perfectly. A great Tarzan deserves a great Jane, which is embodied this time by Margot Robbie . Christoph Waltz also joins the jungle shenanigans as Captain Rom, a potential antagonist. The one shocking announcement was Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington…just kidding he is actually George Washington Williams. I’m not sure why, but he felt a little out of place here with some clips that appeared more in keeping with some of his work with Quentin Tarentino.
This trailer may actually be a bit misleading, appearing to tread familiar ground in past adaptations. However, the film begins with a civilized Tarzan politely sipping tea. He is called back to his jungle birthplace to deal with some sort of issue that seems unclear. Whatever happens gets Jane kidnapped by Captain Rom and brings back the swinging naked man we know and love.
THE LEGEND OF TARZAN VERDICT
Directed by David Yates of Harry Potter fame, The Legend of Tarzan looks to be a worthy summer film with a fresh story and phenomenal cast. I can’t wait to go swinging through the jungle with Tarzan and Jane.
