The Legend of Tarzan Review

The good news of the day is not about Disney, and even not about theme parks. I’ve been in theatre today to watch « The Legend of Tarzan » movie, directed by David Yates, who did some of the Harry Potter movies. And i absolutely loved it, it’s for me one of the best movie i’ve seen this year. I had a good feeling when i saw the trailer, and i was right. It’s the best Tarzan movie i’ve seen since « Greystoke » with Christophe Lambert twenty years ago, and it’s even better. Wonderfully directed by David Yates, GORGEOUS cinematography which make you feel the 19th century Congo jungle and rivers like never before, good script, and a perfect cast: Alexander Skarsgård is perfect and makes a totally believable Tarzan, as well as Margot Robbie as Jane, or Samuel Jackson who brings the necessary humor and the great Christoph Waltz who plays the villain and God knows how good he can be in this kind of role. CGI effects are stunning, especially for the gorillas who look more real than you can ever imagine, and there is even a stampede near the end which will remind you the famous one in « How the West Was Won ». 

Don’t expect, though, a new Tarzan movie telling you one more time the story of Tarzan « from the start ». We’ve seen this dozens of time ( including in the Disney animated film ). This one is a new twist on the classic story in which, to investigate claims of enslavement of his fellow Congolese countrymen, John Clayton III returns to the jungle where he was known as Tarzan. The movie starts in 19th Century London, at a time when Congo belong to Belgium and Tarzan is already « civilised » and Lord of the British Empire. From that point, events will bring him back - almost against his will - to his native jungle. The movie includes also flashbacks from Tarzan about his youth or from Jane about their encounter, for those who wouldn’t know at all the original story. All what you need to know about the « origin » is there, and you don’t need more. 

David Yates is also a director «  who know to take his time without losing it » as François Truffaut was saying about John Ford, and although some complain that the pace is too slow, i can tell you that it is NOT at all slow. The movie has exactly the right pace it must have, not to mention that it is full of action sequences. But you won’t have those stupid editing that we see now in almost every blockbuster or super-heroes movie in which everything must go faster and faster to make sure they create a movie of sensations instead of a movie with emotions ( they always try to put some emotions in blockbusters but for the most it’s a joke ). Critics reviews have been harsh on this new Tarzan but if you look at Audience reviews 70% loved it and for the same reasons i’m writing here. So, once again critics were wrong and didn’t understood anything, don’t believe them, go to see The Legend of Tarzan and i hope you’ll love it too!

Here is the trailer if you missed it!