Monday Movie Mania - The Legend of Tarzan

If you haven't read the original Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan books, you're not going to appreciate the finer points of this movie. The writers, Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer, adhered closely to ERB's style while adding a few historical touches to the tale.


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SPOILERS


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PROS
1) For all the whining about a blond Bond, no one gave two shits about a blond Tarzan. Why? Because Alexander Skarsgard is that good! He brings the animalistic ferocity I expect from the character, but then, he already had Eric Northman down pat.

2) I've heard some bitching about Jane having a too modern sensibility. If these folks had read ERB, they know that this is almost exactly how Jane Porter Clayton acted. Margot Robbie captured her perfectly.

3) I've also heard complaints about the director, David Yates. This is the same guy who brought the last four Harry Potter movies to life. He respects the original work of an author, and the respect shows in this movie.

4) Some African history was inserted into the movie by way of Samuel L. Jackson's George Washington Williams and Christoph Waltz's Leon Rom. I strongly suggest that you read up on these two gentlemen, and their involvement in the Congo.

5) If anything, the writers and director did add a bit of realty to Tarzan. A human cannot possibly fight bare-handed with a full-grown bull gorilla, and Tarzan is severely injured in both the present timeline and in flashbacks.


CONS
1) If I can complain about anything, it's that Tarzan and Jane's son Jack/Korak was NOT born in Africa, but it was a sweet code at the end of the day.

2) Okay, maybe I have a teensy whine about the slow pace at the start of the movie, but once the action gets going, it's the proverbial rollercoaster ride.


Frankly, I loved the movie, and I'll buy it when it comes out. Tarzan earned 9 out of 10 stars.