A British man raised in the depths of the African jungle returns to restore order to the Congo, in this wild adventure from another time.
John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgård), AKA Tarzan, is a young British lord with an interesting history. When his parents were shipwrecked in the Congo when he was just a baby, he was raised by animals.
Developing animal-like senses and a knowledge of the forest that defied his human weaknesses, he soon became a legend to nearby villages. But he also made his share of enemies. In a fit of rage following the death of his ape mother, he did something terrible, which has haunted him ever since.
In one of these villages, a young American named Jane (Margot Robbie) was enjoying her own cultural immersion, as the daughter of the local English teacher. When she encounters John, she is at first overwhelmed by his raw appearance and animalistic behaviour. When John is injured in a fight, she helps him recover, and their love is born.
Years later, having returned to England, John is trying to put his past behind him. His legend—where he’s referred to as Tarzan—makes him uncomfortable. When rumours of a terrible enslavement of the Congolese people by a Belgium king reaches John, he feels compelled to return to his African home, where he and Jane must overcome the terrible colonial evils in order to free the people and the animals he loves.
The character of Tarzan feels like an unusual choice to bring back to life. At a time when we are now more aware than ever of the deep impacts of colonialism and racial politics, it feels at odds to have a story that features a white legend who staves off the evil European powers by having local tribespeople fight for him.
This complexity is addressed through Samuel L Jackson’s character of George Washington, who is an American diplomat with a history of fighting against slavery—that he is rightly proud of—but also a history where he has committed terrible acts against America’s indigenous population. It’s as though the film wants to acknowledge that Edgar Rice Burroughs’s famous pulp creation and much beloved jungle hero is an imperfect conception of white knight, yet one for whom there’s enough love for to resurrect.
Margot Robbie makes the most of her character’s sass and spirit, and ensures that Jane is never a damsel in distress. Christoph Waltz (who seems born to play villains) is a perfectly wicked counter to her verve. It’s the titular character that falls short, with Skarsgård himself appearing as uncomfortable at times with this vine-swinging superhero as we, the audience, no doubt are.
Tarzan must overcome racial divides and the separations between man and beast to create a force strong enough to defeat Europe’s arriving armies. There’s a lot of CGI, a lot of animals, and of course a few vines thrown in for good measure.
Tarzan is a wild romance and classic adventure that utilises the primitivist, return to nature fantasy so productively mined by a number of early 20th century writers. While this updated version has made meaningful attempts to translate this story to its modern audience, they perhaps have not gone far enough. There’s plenty of shirtlessness and jungle calls—so, if that’s your thing, enjoy!
Director: David Yates
Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L Jackson
Runtime: 1hr 50mins
Release Date: 07 July 2016
Rating: PG
Reviewer Rating: 3/5