The legend of Tarzan- Ashdoc’s movie review
This movie has not impressed the critics but I liked it. It is the kind of movie that impresses the audiences more than the critics anyway .
The hallmark of the movie is its great photography of Africa or rather the scenery of Africa partly created by the special effects team. Dense wild jungles, waterfalls gushing with water and foam, the beautiful greenery shrouded in mist, troops of gorillas barking battle cries and attacking those perceived to be threats, hordes of wildebeasts rushing onwards from the grasslands towards the sea, Tarzan and his African allies swinging from tree to tree in the forests, ships sailing their way through winding rivers, armies of Africans standing on cliffs ready with their weapons for war, trains pushing their way on railroads built by cutting down jungles, the roar of maxim guns on the plains of Africa, the beauty of Jane and the robust good looks of Tarzan—all has been pictured beautifully.
Music too is heart stopping, full of melody and sentimentality even during action scenes- this being the unique thing about it.
Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) has left the African jungle to live in England but is called to investigate whether slavery has been restarted by his serene highness King Leopold of Belgium in Congo. The person who asks him to investigate is played by an American, Samuel L Jackson, who accompanies him to Congo. Jane (Margot Robbie) insists on going with him against his wishes. But Tarzan soon discovers that there is a plot by the king’s agent in Africa to deliver him to be killed by his enemy, the king of an African tribe, in return for diamonds that will help Leopold avoid bankruptcy .
But there is also a greater plan by the king and his evil agent (Christoph Waltz) to use that entire part of Africa for slave labour to earn maximum profit for himself. So will Tarzan be able to bring together all Africans and all the animals who heed his beck and call and fight the evildoers? Watch the movie for these answers.
The movie has flashbacks of Tarzan’s and Jane’s past in Africa and their story is revealed in these flashbacks. And the flashbacks are wonderfully woven around present events. And the present is full of action- action scenes between humans and animals and between humans and humans.
If there is a lovemaking scene between Tarzan and Jane, I missed it- for the censors are notoriously prudish in my country (India) and they might have cut it. But that did not stop me from enjoying the movie. Acting by everyone is decent enough without any fantastic performances.
Verdict—Good
Three and a half stars
