DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Front of House Our Community Review Film TV Legend of Tarzan (LoT)

I just got in from watching the new Legend of Tarzan movie, and I thought that I would give it a quick review for those who might be considering watching it in the theater.

If you are looking for a Tarzan movie that is an amazing action movie set in Africa, you might want to rethink going to see this one.

Yes, it is set, mostly, in Africa, and yes there are action sequences, but it not an action adventure movie. It is more an epic journey highlighting hope, survival, and love. Yes, love plays a big part in the movie, not just for Tarzan and Jane, but for a lot of the other characters as well. No, it is not a "chick flick" either, but it might, just might, make a good date movie, if you know what your date likes and you think they would enjoy a movie that is not fast paced, is not set up for humorous giggles and jokes, and is not just a series of prolonged fight scenes.

LoT is not a face paced movie, as I mentioned, but it does hold its pacing and does not slow down or lag, but it also does not sacrifice plot or story just to keep things moving quickly either.

The pros:
Tarzan is yummy. Yes, I said yummy and I meant it.
Jane is endearing, not argumentative or annoying.
Jane is not passive, but knows how to go forward with the flow instead of fighting needlessly.
Most of the actors do excellent jobs.
Most of the CGI animals are very well done.
LoT is a moving picture (pun intended) on many levels.
The panoramic views of Africa are breathtaking.
This is not another origin story! It continues the lives of Tarzan and Jane.
Whoever the choreographer is, they know animal behavior and movements, and Tarzan does a great job of mimicking them.
Most of the action sequences were not terrible... and actually most were well done.

The cons:
Some of the CGI animals (the felines) were easy to spot as CGI (I love cats though, so that might make a difference).
Samuel L. Jackson... yeah. He did an okay job, but his portrayal of his character just felt out of place.
Some of the fight sequences... well I never understood why people would take on one man one at a time when you are in a mob around him. DOES. NOT. MAKE. SENSE. (this excludes any duels or fights of "honor," I get those.)

I would cautiously recommend this movie to most people, with the cautionary statements I have mentioned already.

Personally, I loved the movie, and if you want to see it, it is well worth an evening theater price.

My rating system, by the way is:
Evening theater price (five stars)
Matinee price (four stars)
Wait for DVD (you get the idea)
Cable
Cable if nothing else is on
Heaven help you if you are forced to watch this movie while being tortured by terrorists

This is a movie that I will probably watch one more time in the theater just to watch the landscape and action on a big big screen.

And... did I mention Tarzan was yummy? He really is.

PS. I left off actor's names on purpose, except for Sam's.

Not one I would have considered but might now. Thanks!

Willing to wait till it is on Netflix. I am mostly swayed by the mention of 'CGI animals' <sigh> The Tarzan that I remember had real live animals :-/

Mike, the CGI animals, for the most part, are done really well, and there are some parts of fight scenes involving them that real animals could not have been part of.

I don't mind when they 'fudge things a bit' when a stunt might endanger the animal. But there is always something ... missing with CGI animals ... at least the one's I have seen so far ... more so in the more peaceful parts ... if you know what I mean.

I remember seeing one rating scale like this where the final entry was "Wait for it to come out on cable, then rent something different."

<heh heh heh> I like that addition the the list Argus <g>

Argus, I like that one! Thanks for sharing

For my money, Tarzan is Johnny Weismuller (with real live animals, even if they were rear-projected), just as Robin Hood is Errol Flynn and James Bond is Sean Connery. Some characters are just too deeply imprinted.

<heh heh heh> I feel ya muh brother!! <g>

Tarzan, until this point, was Casper Van Dien. James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, and Robin Hood Carey Elwes (the only one with a real English accent).

J-J, I'm on your side of this one.

I think we've hit what is called the Generation Gap.

Mina, I'll stipulate to the 'real English accent' -- Flynn was an Aussie.

J-J Aussies get insulted if you say they have an English accent, so I think Cary is still at the top of the Robinhood list.

Never could stand Connery as Bond. I favor Pierce as during Moore's time he was so interchangeable with The Saint. As for Robin Hood, Errol will always have my heart but Carey was wonderful. However, Connery made a wonderful older, end of life Robin.

Casper Van Diem was Tarzan? I'm cringing. Other than Weismuller, I'll take the animated version, or better yet, George of the Jungle with Brendan Fraser.

As for Superman, either Reeves is fine by me.

Sean Connery has always been my favorite Bond and, contrary to most, my second favorite Bond was Timothy Dalton. I thought those two actors came closest to Fleming's image of Bond.

ividia, glad I am not the only Brosnan fan! And, yeah, Fraser as George is a lot more fun than most of the Tarzans

While I was not a Timothy Dalton-Bond fan, I did love him in Brenda Starr. The tragic hero, Basil St. John.

Mina, by stipulating to your comment about Elwes being the only one with a real English accent, I was agreeing with you. We hosted an Aussie exchange student when I was in high school, so I know full well that they object to being told they have a Pommy accent.

OK ... I =tried= to let it go, honest!

The actor that =I= think was closest to the Bond that Flemming created is George Lazenby. There! I said it!! Sorry Ex ... ya got it wrong <weg>

J-J, my mistake, sorry And who is George Lazenby?

GL - the one hit wonder.

MikeD, you ain't even close.

Lazenby looked like Bond should look, but he acted like one of those animatronic presidents you see at Disneyland.

Mina, George Lazenby did one Bond film (the one where Telly Savalas was Ernst Stavro Blofeld) called On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree Ex <chuckle>

Basically, Mina, Lazenby had the unfortunate luck to be the first person to play Bond after Connery <sigh>

As I recall, Lazenby also had a small role in The Kentucky Fried Movie.

Everyone makes mistakes <chuckle>