Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood) is chest-thumping icon Tarzan in this adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic tale from filmmaker David Yates (who directed the last four Harry Potter films). Co-stars Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, and Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) as Jane.
It has been years since Tarzan left the jungles of Africa for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo to serve as a trade emissary of Parliament, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by Captain Leon Rom (Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash.
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35%259 reviews
It’s not an altogether unfamiliar experience to come out of a film thinking “what the hell did I just watch?” That’s largely the realm of film festival or arthouse selections, though, or the result of external factors - illness, fatigue, poor dietary decisions. Not so often does it apply to presumptive blockbusters, of which The Legend of Tarzan most assuredly is one, while at the same time being a confusing pile of sight and sound.
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Sequel, origin story and racially sensitive revisionist history lesson all in one. What it isn't is much fun for anyone who's seen Edgar Rice Burroughs' "ape man" in any of his previous incarnations.
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What makes it more enjoyable than other recycled stories of this type is that the filmmakers have given Tarzan a thoughtful, imperfect makeover.
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Committed performances aren’t enough to save this film from uncomfortable colonial optics, uninspiring CGI and tedious plotlines
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It's a heavy thematic load for a single movie to handle — especially this one, which nearly collapses from its burden.
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Although uneven at times, The Legend of Tarzan lends an important historical context to the notorious character, which makes it worth a look.
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Wants to be both modern and traditional, hip and classic. It's a tough balance to strike, and this film can't manage it.
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This is certainly the best live-action Tarzan film in many a decade (which, admittedly, isn't saying much) and offers a well-judged balance of vigorous action and engaging-enough drama.
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Not so much a ripping yarn, more of a dripping yarn, Yates' reinterpretation of the Lord Of The Jungle is a big disappointment.
Full reviewThe Legend of Tarzan is available to stream in New Zealand now on Google Play and Apple TV and Neon and Neon Rentals.
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