Celebrating over 100 years of Tarzan
Bakang Israel | Friday July 22, 2016 12:54
However though with this latest depiction of original author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ fictional character (Tarzan), the franchise celebrates a century in existence milestone from 1912.
Yates’s new film is a reboot following the 2013 3D animation installment. This time colonial power is the main catalyst of attention. “It has been years since the man once known as Tarzan (Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for a gentrified life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane (Robbie) 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 the Belgian, Captain Leon Rom (Waltz). But those behind the murderous plot have no idea what they are about to unleash”.
This adventure is very well cast it looks dazzling on paper with stars from films like Zoolander, Focus, Mission Impossible, Rogue Nation and Avengers. Our lead character Alexander Skarsgård (Tarzan) became the 19th actor to play this prestigious role in a live action film. As far as the film making is concerned, Yates is the same wizard who weaved his magic directing the quadruple best selling mystery Harry Porter films from 2007-2011.
Action
It never gets old and the Tarzan fan in me gets more excited having missed our jungle superhero for quite some time. From the first whistle the legendary tale teases our taste buds with mystique and intrigue as colonialists and African natives clash in the thick intimidating Congo jungle.
The curiosity of this hostility then becomes the catch to further delve in this adventure. Apart from that, it is also made interesting by the fact that this time around Tarzan is incorporated as a literate being who fluently speaks the queen’s language unlike the previous editions upon which he could only mumble English.
This adventure also thrives on raw action of Tarzan’s abilities as his jungle upbringing gives him abilities far beyond those of ordinary humans.
Such include climbing, clinging, tussling with dangerous animals for human safety and leaping as well as any great ape, or better.
He uses branches and hanging vines to swing at great speed, a skill acquired among the apes. Like this moment I enjoyed most in the film when he was tracking Rom in the jungle swinging whilst carrying Samuel L Jackson on his back.
Even the two found it weird and funny which was a delight for us enthusiasts. Speaking of which, Jackson (George Washington) brings his raw African American attitude to this film which then lights up the cinema with comedy from rude remarks during testing situations.
Like a typical African American he swore at the insanity of jumping off a cliff into a canopy of trees as a leap of faith or any other revelation. So such predicaments delighted more.
Mission Impossible Rogue Nation villain Christoph Waltz (Rom in this case) also does seem to have a neck for evil intents in movies these days and he is getting good at it notably being deceitful and sort. It is not the first time he had a role in an oppression manner.
That was the case in 2012’s Django Unchainned alongside Jamie Fox. So one can expect such antagonism from this film. Meanwhile the film also tapped into themes of history, greed, power, revenge, love, slavery which had our protagonists and antagonists in conflict.
The film takes one back in time to the pinnacle of the 18th or the start of the 19th century when colonialists sought to exploit African riches such as diamonds back to Europe.
You get sizzled by the discovery of what small things you had to do back then to earn a diamond from an African chief. Speaking about that also compliments the cinematography and the film looks adventurous thanks to the wilderness setting of the African jungle.
It shows the great Congo River Basin jungle, one the largest rivers in the world. Not only that, credit has to be given to Yates. He picked the right candidate to portray an African chief as Benin born Djimon Hounsou (chief Mbonga) looks and adds a bit of mother Africa to this movie with his strong west african posture.
Still on the cinematography the film is basically 80 percent Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) special effects shot through motion picture and the rest live action. So Skarsgård (Tarzan) was made to look like he is swinging on trees through computer software so as to avoid the dangers of the real wild.
The CGI looks awesome as Tarzan communicates and mingles with animals such as notably gorilla apes, crocodiles, elephants and lions among others to use the jungle to fend off intruders.
That pretty much sums up Yates’s effort. The niggling problem I had encountered is that Legend of Tarzan did not exceed all expectations. It has moments of brilliance and narrations and flashbacks but it still lacked that x-factor to sweep enthusiasts off their feet into cloud nine. Hence is not that cohesive and dialogue chemistry short. However not taking away from the film it perhaps felt like a foundation for a future sequel.
Quotes
From the movie that shed more action.
Chief Mbonga to Rom: “These (diamonds) are what you are looking for, what will you do for them?
George Washinton to Mbonga: ”Rom will wipe you out every last one of you like you never even existed”.
Reception
Information coming from box office indicates that Tarzan was shot from a production budget of $180 million. Legend of Tarzan premiered with $38 million at the box office reaching #2 at the beginning of July and occupying that spot for two weeks. It then failed to build more steam as it then slipped to third this week with $195 in worldwide sales.
Top Five movies in the world currently courtesy of box office.
1. The Secret Life of Pets
2. Ghostbusters
3. The Legend of Tarzan
4. Finding Dory
5. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Ratings
For such a long anticipated film and after a horrendous 2013 Tarzan animation, this experience was expected to be better. I rate it a 5/10 as it did not fulfill our raging action adventure blockbuster expectations.
Movie: The legend of Tarzan in 3D
Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama
Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Age Restriction: P-G 13
Release Date: 15th July
Director: David Yates
Main Cast: Alexander Skarsgård (John Clayton III), Christoph Waltz (Leon Rom), Margot Robbie (Jane Clayton), Samuel L. Jackson (George Washing), Djimon Hounsou as (Chief Mbonga)