Genre:
Action Movie
Adventure
Release Date:
July 9, 2016
Duration:
110 minutes
Plot:
John Cleyton III, Lord of Greystoke (Alexander Skarsgård) is Tarzan. He was born in the jungle and his mother died as soon as she gave birth to him. After his father buried her, some gorillas attacked him and killed him. Kala (Madeleine Worrall), a female gorilla, found the young orphan and raised him as if he was her child, along with her son, Akut (Matt Cross). When Tarzan was a teen, Kulonga (Charles Babalola), son of chieftain Mbonga (Djimon Hounsou) fatally wounded Kala with an arrow. Tarzan could not save her, but he attacked Kulonga and killed him. Mbonga never forgave him, and lives with the hope that someday he will kill Tarzan.
Years have passed and the man who was raised by gorillas, has left the jungle behind him. He met Jane (Margot Robbie), they fell in love, and he learned the ways and the language of humans. He found his identity and claimed his heritance. John Cleyton III became the fifth Lord of Greystoke, married his beloved and they live together in Great Britain.
His new life has its own obligations. Britain and Belgium have divided Congo in two. The Belgian Government is on the verge of bankruptcy. Thus, they have a clear interest to increase the activities of the belgian mineral company in Kongo. King Leopold II of Belgium, has already sent Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) to Africa and he asks for help from the British Government. The famous diamonds of Opar is the common goal of English and Belgians, who cannot wait to take them from the African land and shove them in their pockets.
Prime Minister (Jim Broadbent) has a meeting with Lord Clayton and asks him to help them. His experience and the acquaintances John and Jane have in Africa are really valuable. John refuses. After the meeting, George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson), a USA diplomatic envoy, follows him. George has reasons to believe that the Belgians treat brutally the locals and even enslave them. This is something that Lord Cleyton cannot tolerate. He decides to travel to Africa, but he wishes that Jane stays in England to be safe. But Jane is a woman with personality and not a helpless damsel.
The three of them arrive in Africa and the first thing John does is to greet three lions he meets. “He has known them since they were cubs”, Jane tells George. They decide to spend the night as guests with a tribe they had contacts in the past.
They know that the Belgians – led by Leon Rom – want the diamonds of Opar. What they don’t know is what’s the deal with the Belgian Captain. Rom and his soldiers had been attacked by chieftain Mbonga. All were killed that day. All but not Rom. Why did they spare his life? Because he promised to Mbonga that he would bring Tarzan to him.
That night Rom and his men attack the tribe’s village. They kill many and they kidnap Jane. George makes a successful counterattack and repels them. He finds John tied with ropes and sets him free, but Leon Rom escapes with Jane.
Rom tries unsuccessfully to terrorize Jane. The young woman stands boldly in front of her kidnappers.
An ordinary man will do impossible things to save the woman he loves. And my husband is no ordinary man..
Yet she cannot escape. She will be their bait to get John. John on his part, will remember his old life and use all the means nature offers and all his abilities. Because he is Tarzan. The Lord of the Jungle!
Our impressions and movie review:
For many decades Tarzan was the favorite hero of many children. And when those kids grew up and had children of their own, maybe Weissmuller had stopped making movies, but they could read a comic book with Tarzan. Because Tarzan – like Mowgli – excites the juvenile imagination. They can do things that everyday people cannot, but they are more realistic than the rest comic superheroes.
Alexander Skarsgård ( “True Blood” ) was chosen as the new Tarzan and he does a good job at it. Besides his stand the charming and great actress Margot Robbie as Jane. She is different that the Janes we have seen in the past, yet she is not a Lara Croft. David Yates is doing an excellent job as a director. The screenplay would need something more to really overwhelm us, but we are prejudiced: we love Tarzan!
The new movie “The Legend of Tarzan” respects the myth and the character of Tarzan, as created by the author Edgar Rice Burroughs and as we became accustomed to him with the films and the comic books. It is great that the producers and the actors of the film take a stand against the ivory trade.
“The Legend of Tarzan” premiered on July 9th, 2016.
The Legend of Tarzan – Trailer (Greek subs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBXl0sUtZ-U
Trivial from The Legend of Tarzan –
- Opar is a fictional city, known for its diamonds.
- 84 movies have been made with Tarzan and 15 tv movies and series. 22 of these movies had Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan.
- George Washington Williams played by Samuel L. Jackson and Leon Rom played by Christoph Waltz, are real historical figures.
- The Legend of Tarzan features the new Tarzan’s battle cry. This yell was made combining the voice of the protagonist, the voice of an opera singer and sounds from wild animals.
- Margot Robbie said in an interview that the first time she saw Tarzan was in 1999. It was Disney’s animated film.
- In the same question, Alexander Skarsgård answered “it was Weissmuller’s movies of course”.
- One of the reason he wanted to be Tarzan, is that his father, Stellan Skarsgård loved the old Tarzan movies.
- Alexander Skarsgård is 1.93m tall and Weissmuller was 1.90m tall. They are the tallest actors who have impersonated Tarzan.
- To prepare his body for shooting the film, he followed a strict diet for many months. He did not ate anything with sugar, gluten, flour, dairy or alcohol.
- When the shootings had finished, Alexander Skarsgård celebrated it with his father cooking him anything he wished for four days.
- The producers had contacted Michael Phelps, Olympic Games winner in swimming, to take the main part.
- “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes” with Lambert as Tarzan was filmed in 1984.
- Stuart Craig was the Production Designer in both movies.
- John Hurt had a small part, but in the final cut there are not any scenes he had filmed.
Credits:
Writers:
Adam Cozad, Craig Brewer
Director:
David Yates
Cast:
Alexander Skarsgård – Tarzan / John Clayton
Margot Robbie – Jane Clayton
Rory J. Saper – Young Tarzan (18 Years)
Christian Stevens – Young Tarzan (5 Years)
Christoph Waltz – Leon Rom
Samuel L. Jackson – George Washington Williams
Sidney Ralitsoele – Wasimbu
Osy Ikhile – Kwete
Mens-Sana Tamakloe – Kolo
Antony Acheampong – Kanam
Edward Apeagyei – Kimanga
Ashley Byam – Kasai
Casper Crump – Major Kerckhover
Adam Ganne – German Force Publique
Aleksandar Mikic – Muscular Force Publique
Gary Cargill – Unruly Force Publique
Shaun Smith – Medieval Faced Mercenary
Ian Mercer – Freckled Force Publique
Laurence Spellman – South African Force Publique
Alex Ferns – Force Publique Officer
Roger Evans – Force Publique Officer
Clive Brunt – Senior Officer
Djimon Hounsou – Chief Mbonga
Charles Babalola – Kulonga
Yule Masiteng – Muviro
Mimi Ndiweni – Eshe
Faith Edwards – Older Kuba Woman
Matt Cross – Akut
Madeleine Worrall – Kala
William Wollen – Kerchak
Cédric Weber – French Engineer
Richard James-Neale – Jug Eared Soldier
Charlie Anson – Sergeant
Simon Russell Beale – Mr. Frum
John Hollingworth – Steward
Maxim De Villiers – Young Officer
Miles Jupp – The Valet
Teresa Churcher – Stern Maid
Jim Broadbent – Prime Minister
Christopher Benjamin – Lord Knutsford
Paul Hamilton – Lord Stanhope
Ben Chaplin – Captain Moulle
Faisal Mohammed – Huge Warrior
Genevieve O Reilly – Tarzan’s Mother (as Genevieve O’Reilly)
Hadley Fraser – Tarzan’s Father
Augusts Dakteris – Tarzan Aerial Artist
Sophia Ramos – Singer
Caitlin McIntosh – Pigtails
Thomas Coghlan – Smallest / Little Boy (aged 10)
Amelia Mae Butler – Tiny / Young Girl (aged 9)
Jack Hammond – Bully / Big Boy (aged 11)
Oliver Lamb – Curious (Young) Boy
Matilda Hedley – Child (aged 10)
Luke Smith – Child in Greystoke Manor
John Harvey Wilson – Child in Greystoke Manor
Adam Scholes – Child in Greystoke Manor
Owen Walters – Child in Greystoke Manor
Orla McFarlane – Child in Greystoke Manor
Phillip Nathan Hendricks – Mbongo Warrior
Deboh Adeaga-Brown – Body Carrier / Mbolongo Warrior (uncredited)
Abi Adeyemi – Kuba Villager (uncredited)
Jaiye Afolabi – Mbolongo Warrior (uncredited)
Kayode Akinyemi – Mbolongo Warrior / Young Mbolongo Warrior (uncredited)
Emmanuel Akwafo – Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Hugh Allison – Boma Villager (uncredited)
Michael Altoft – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Fraser Andrews – Frum’s Army Officer (uncredited)
James Francis Andrews – Force Publique Soldier (uncredited)
Gino Anganda – Warrior (uncredited)
Habib Anibaba – Mbolongo Warrior (uncredited)
Lasco Atkins – Mercenary (uncredited)
Mark Badham – Mercenary (uncredited)
Richard Banks – Force Publique (uncredited)
Rudy Barrow – Mbonga Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Nathan Benham – Belgian Gunner (uncredited)
Andy Blithe – Frum’s Soldier (uncredited)
Charles-Jean Boucher – Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Mark Bowsher – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Alexander Bracq – Belgium Soldier (uncredited)
Greg Brummel – Conscript (uncredited)
David Burge – Politician (uncredited)
Chris Cartwright – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Anthony Chisholm – Kuba Village Man (uncredited)
Ola Christian – Body Carrier (uncredited)
Philippe D’Imperio – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
John Duggan – Market Trader London Street (uncredited)
Andrew Dunkelberger – American Businessman (uncredited)
Charlene Durrant – Young Posh Lady (uncredited)
Helen Evans – Passerby (uncredited)
Jack Everson – Belgian Conscript (uncredited)
Ibrahim Fagge – Warrior / Train Prisoner / Zanzibar Tribesmen (uncredited)
Marco Flammer – Force Publique Mercenary (uncredited)
Brandon Francis – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Duane Francis – Native Boma Worker (uncredited)
Don Sebastian Fula – Black Tribe (uncredited)
Andrea Gambadoro – Force Publique (uncredited)
Julian Gamm – Shoe Shine Boy (uncredited)
Samuel Garcia – Belgian Conscript (uncredited)
Don Gayle – Mombolo Warrior (uncredited)
Craig Goult – Carriage Passenger (uncredited)
Liv Hansen – Carriage Passenger (uncredited)
John Harding – Victorian Londoner (uncredited)
Pete Buzzsaw Holland – Frum’s Command Force (uncredited)
Tina Holland – Victorian Lady (uncredited)
Luke Hope – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Jermaine Humes – Mbonga Warrior (uncredited)
Joy Isa – Kuba Woman (uncredited)
Marcus G. Johnson – Mbolongo Warrior / Train Prisoner (uncredited)
Bentley Kalu – Mbolongo Warrior (uncredited)
John Samuel Kande – Shaman (uncredited)
Joshua Kekana – Mbolongo Warrior Tribesman / Boma Native Worker (uncredited)
Phelim Kelly – Victorian Londoner (uncredited)
Attila G. Kerekes – Upper-class Gentleman (uncredited)
Paul Kerry – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Marat Khairoullin – Smallest Mercenary (uncredited)
Denis Khoroshko – Frum’s Soldier (uncredited)
Fred King – Victorian Man (uncredited)
Eirik Knutsvik – Frum’s Command Force (uncredited)
Jeff Longland – Force Publique (uncredited)
Tyrone Love – Surma Warrior (uncredited)
Paul Low-Hang – Warrior / Train Prisoner (uncredited)
Nicholas Marshall – Warrior (uncredited)
Nick McKinless – Huge Belgian (uncredited)
Anthony Milton – Gentleman on Bus (uncredited)
Karen Mkrtchyan – Force Publique (uncredited)
Stephen Molyneaux – Belgian soldier (uncredited)
Cali Nelle – Mbolongo Leopard Warrior (uncredited)
Stephen Parker – Force Publique (uncredited)
Mac Pietowski – Force Publique (uncredited)
Guy Potter – Belgian Gunner (uncredited)
Ella Purnell – Young Jane Body Double (uncredited)
Florian Schwienbacher – Belgian Conscript (uncredited)
James Thomas Scott – Newspaper Seller (uncredited)
Timothy Scott – Force Publique (uncredited)
Tamara Sharpe – Carriage Passenger (uncredited)
Kieran Shekoni – Mbonga Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Peter Silva – Tribesman (uncredited)
Marcus Sinclair – Mbonga Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
David Speed – Tradesman (uncredited)
Richard Stanley – Force Publique Officer (uncredited)
Adam Starks – Belgian Soldier (uncredited)
Ellen Claire Sutherland – Victorian Woman (uncredited)
Joshua Teya – Mombolo (uncredited)
Stephen Stallone Thomas – Mbonga Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Matt Townsend – Belgian Conscript (uncredited)
Miroslav Zaruba – Belgian Officer (uncredited)
Dre Zengarta – Mbonga Tribe Warrior (uncredited)
Production Companies and Distributors:
Dark Horse Entertainment
Jerry Weintraub Productions
Riche Productions
Village Roadshow Pictures
Tanweer
Official Website:
LegendOfTarzan.com
A.A.