First, the Recap:
Sometimes, people just cannot leave well enough alone. In late 1800’s London, John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgard), aka: Tarzan, has found peace away from Africa with his beautiful bride, Jane (Margot Robbie). Living as an aristocrat, it comes to his attention that King Leopold of Belgium might be causing issues in Tarzan’s homeland of Africa, especially through the actions of his envoy to that country, Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz). Hesitant to leave the life he’s now become accustomed to, an American envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) convinces him otherwise. Still reluctant to endanger Jane, the trio head back to Africa to encounter old friends, Rom’s scheming, and the wrath of an old enemy out for revenge against Tarzan, tribal leader Chief Mbonga (Djimon Hounsou).
Worth Seeing: Yes
“Harry Potter” alum David Yates directs and produces this newest look into the ever-classic tale of the Lord of the Apes, and does so with a solid narrative, small flashbacks to origins, very engaging visuals, and a good choice to play the lead. The effort doesn’t waste time but dives right into affairs to keep the train moving, and the film’s “present day” setting (as opposed to just another origin story/reboot) does benefit the overall execution. Skarsgard beefs up from his pale, thin Eric Northman in “True Blood” and whole-heartedly charges forth as Tarzan, showcasing both the newly civilized and more wild nature of the Ape Man. Waltz excels at villainy, plus Robbie and Jackson add wit and drama to the mix, in total delivering a fun, jungle-fueled romp.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
