The legendary Tarzan first graced our screens back in 1918 long before the days of audio and the character was based on the novel Tarzan Of The Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Therefore we wouldn’t hear that infamous Tarzan roar until 1929 when soundtracks started to appear on film.
We have always been fans of Tarzan here at Mens Stuff Approved so we were excited to be invited to preview Warner Brothers The Legend Of Tarzan! We settled down with our jumbo boxes of caramel coated popcorn and Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream and prepared to be dazzled – and dazzled we were!
The introduction takes us back through history and the story is set in the days of old. It begins with John formerly known as Tarzan (played by True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård’s ) enjoying his new life in England with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie). John attends a government meeting and is invited by King Leopold (via the British Prime Minister) to return to Boma and assist with a political issue.
However all is not what it seems and Tarzan finds himself captured by Rom, a greedy diamond hungry war criminal. Tarzan manages to escape with the help of his accomplice Williams – played superbly by Samuel Jackson. However in the meantime Rom kidnaps the feisty Jane and he and his mercenaries take her aboard a boat and hold her hostage. Tarzan then begins his epic journey deep into the forests to save his beloved wife. He learns that thousands of Africans have also been captured and enslaved to the evil warlords. With stern determination and a hefty dose or Tarzan magic, he vows to save the day.
We see Tarzan’s journey into the jungle which is quite breath taking. The panoramic views of the African planes are quite visually stunning and there are both terrifying and poignant moments as Tarzan connects with the animals of the jungle. There is a beautiful scene where he meets with a tribe of elephants and we see his deep bond with the animals. A tear or two might have been shed at this point but please don’t tell anyone!
The CGI is spectacular and whilst normally the Mens Stuff team aren’t fans of 3D we were amazed at how well the 3D was done. It actually felt like we were in the jungle with Tarzan swinging through the trees and meeting wild beasts and gorillas! The great thing about the movie was not the plot, or even the amazing CGI (though it helped a great deal) the best part in fact was the characterisation. The acting was way above par with excellent performances by all. Alexander Skarsgård was the perfect choice for the role, and not just because of his physical fitness and his ability to act tough. When needed, his soft expression and poignant looks conveyed a hundred different emotions, making him a complex and compelling character. Margot Robbie is absolutely gorgeous without a doubt, but the lady is also supremely talented and played the role of ‘self assured, not so helpless damsel‘ brilliantly. We love this woman!
Samuel L Jackson never disappoints and he was cast well in his role, complimenting his fellow actors. The whole movie was cleverly woven and there is not a dull moment.
We can’t stress enough that for maximum enjoyment this needs to be seen at the cinema and in 3D! This is a 12A certificate so great for adults and families with children too. Enjoy!
By Karen Bridle AKA Kaz B
