The Legend of Tarzan
Blu-ray/DVD
Review by Kam Williams
Franchise
Reboot Features Politically-Correct Version of the King of the Jungle
Tarzan became a sensation soon after his initial introduction to
the world via pulp magazines published in 1912. Created by Edgar Rice
Burroughs, the character proved to be such an enduring cultural icon
that he would become the subject of a series of best-selling novels,
200+ movies and a long line of consumer products.
According
to the lore spun by Burroughs, Tarzan, aka John Clayton, was the son
of a couple of British aristocrats who perished in Africa while the
boy was still an infant. The baby was subsequently raised by apes in
the wild where he became so in tune with nature that he learned to
speak the language of all the beasts residing there.
Moreover,
as the legendary "Lord of the Jungle," he not only
exercised dominion over the animal kingdom but over cannibalistic
tribes eager to rape white women and to boil missionaries in a big
pot. Such insensitive portrayals of Africans as evil and uncivilized
eventually became controversial in more enlightened times. And after
decades of uncritical appeal, Tarzan finally witnessed a sharp
decline in popularity.
Now,
for the first time this millennium, he's been brought back to the big
screen. Directed by David Yates (Harry Potter 5, 6, 7 and 8), The
Legend of Tarzan features a more politically-correct version of the
controversial character.
Set
in 1884, the film stars Alexander Skarsgard in the title role as well
as Samuel L. Jackson as his sophisticated sidekick, Dr. George
Washington Williams. The American doctor was ostensibly shoehorned
into the story to offset the relatively-primitive image of the
indigenous black folks.
At
the point of departure, we find Tarzan and wife Jane (Margot Robbie)
living in the lap of luxury in London as Lord and Lady Greystoke.
It's apparently been ages since Tarzan has even set foot on the dark
continent.
He
leaps at the chance to return to the Congo, when invited by
Parliament to serve as a trade emissary. What Tarzan doesn't know is
that he is merely a pawn in a plot masterminded by Leon Rom
(Christoph Waltz), a diabolical villain dealing in blood diamonds.
Upon arriving, it doesn't take long for Tarzan to revert from a
proper gent to a feral vine swinger who can summon a thundering herd
of elephants with that distinctive yell.
Aaaaaaaargh...
Aaaaaaaaarghaaaah... Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!
Very
Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for
action, violence, sensuality and brief crude dialogue
Running time: 110
minutes
Distributor: Warner Brothers Home
Entertainment Group
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