Brendan Fraser’s George of the Jungle, this ain’t. This is serious…carrying a heavy PG-13.
Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) goes in search of ivory and minerals in Africa’s Congo. But after some massive bloodshed and some gibberish back in London’s high court, he defaults on his loans.
Enter Tarzan a.k.a. John Clayton/House of Lords (Alexander Skarsgard) who has since acclimated to tea service, butlers and bone china. He’s summoned back to his jungle roots to investigate the doings at a mining camp. Alas, he’ll be escorted by Doctor Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) in a very disjointed but at times amusing role. In tow is Jane (Margot Robbie) his wife, who apparently has a history being raised in a tribe.
The plot inter-cuts Tarzan’s past, being raised by apes, and his eventual jungle-mating with Jane, bringing us to current day and the political issues at hand (or is it paw?)
The problem with this film, is unlike this summer’s blockbuster Jungle Book, the audience never knows when to relax. No sooner, you trust the film, and it’s like child abuse, delivering a murdered mother gorilla, or some violent bloodshed. It provoked far too much seat-wiggle-outburst-crying from children. (This was evident in my test screening where audiences seemed to be holding their children close to their underarms, and shielding their faces from the screen.) The kind moment are too few and far between to enjoy what could have been a nice family film. ♚ ♛