The Legend of Tarzan

Edgar Rice Burroughs's mythic 19th-century superhero comes alive again in this fun, old-fashioned action-packed adventure that touches on colonialism, racism, and even sexism. Working from a script inspired by Burroughs's famous character introduced in the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes, director David Yates combines Alexander Skarsgård's obvious physicality in the role of John Clayton, aka Lord Greystoke, with the emotionally restrained melancholy of a man caught between two cultures—a quality that previous actors playing Tarzan, including Christopher Lambert and Johnny Weissmuller, were unable to capture. Raised in the jungle, Tarzan's primal instincts are impeccable; educated within European civilization, his judgment is acute. The plot revolves around the determination of Belgium's King Leopold II to exploit and enslave the Congo. Villainous Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) concocts a deceptive conspiracy to bring aristocratic Lord Greystoke back to his native country, arousing the suspicions of American diplomatic envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson). Shortly after Greystoke, his smart ‘n' spunky wife Jane Porter (Margot Robbie), and perceptive Williams arrive in Africa, they discover the sinister scheme. After helming the final four Harry Potter films, director Yates is adept at juggling the intricacies of narrative storytelling together with visually sweeping, vine-swinging excitement. The best live-action Tarzan epic in decades, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Tarzan Reborn” (15 min.), “Battles and Bare-Knuckle Brawls” (15 min.), “Creating the Virtual Jungle” (15 min.), “Tarzan and Jane's Unfailing Love” (6 min.), “Gabon to the Big Screen” (3 min.), and “Stop Ivory” (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an engaging version of the tale of Tarzan.] (S. Granger)