Why 'The Legend of Tarzan' Is Actually a Great Movie

Warner Bro's newest Summer flick, The Legend of Tarzan, has sparked countless negative reviews. From the writing to the CGI, it seems everyone has something horrible to say about the film.

“"The Legend of Tarzan ends up being a garbled, clunky production that tries to please everyone and ends up pleasing no one." -Jordan Hoffman, The Guardian ”

“"Not so much a ripping yarn, more of a dripping yarn, Yates’ reinterpretation of the Lord Of The Jungle is a big disappointment. It may be some time before Tarzan swings again." -Chris Hewitt, Empire”

“"Him Tarzan, it lame." -Stephen Whitty, New York Daily News”

This is just a small selection of the verbal beating that this movie has taken over the past couple of weeks. But despite what seems to be the general consensus, I actually loved it! I thought the cast was well chosen, the CGI well done, and the shot choices incredibly interesting. But what I perhaps loved most is that this Tarzan film is by no means a remake. In fact, it's almost like a sequel. A continuation, the aftermath of what happens when Tarzan and Jane leave the jungle. And when they have to return, we get to watch Tarzan slowly slip back into his natural instincts, and it's really incredible to witness.

Alexander Skarsgard captured the essence of Tarzan perfectly.

Tarzan is an incredibly physically intensive role. And when I say that, I mean more than just looks. I mean body language and facial expressions. Small little nuances that are in fact extremely important to the story. Tarzan grew up in the jungle, he lived most of his life there, and was raised by apes. If this is not believable, the rest of the film feels like a waste of time. And so, walking into the theatre, my biggest worry was the Lord of the Jungle himself. While Skarsgard is a wonderful actor, and certainly looked the part, I wasn't sure if he was going to capture the necessary subtleties needed to pull off this role. But he really impressed me, completely stepping into the role, adding wonderful little mannerisms that made the film. One of my favorite moments was when he was getting quite angry and emotional. All of a sudden, his breathing changes. It becomes very short and quick, heavy and loud. And the puffing brings to mind that of an ape. The way he interacts with Jane is another perfect example. He nuzzles into her neck, moving his head in a very slow but animalistic way. It's these small but beautiful details that make Skarsgard so convincing as Tarzan.

Margot Robbie brings a fiery flare to Jane.

Speaking of Jane, can we just talk about how brilliant Margot Robbie was!? I absolutely adore her as an actress, and I love how she portrayed Jane. Now, many say that she was just another damsel in distress, as she was captured by Christoph Waltz's baddie Leon Rom early on in the film. But she was by no means helpless. She fought and endured, literally spitting in his face, and later trying to kill him. When she couldn't do that, she dared an escape, risking her life to get help.

Skarsgard and Robbie's Beautiful Chemistry

Jane is such an important character, because the love story between her and Tarzan is so well known. If the chemistry wasn't there, the film would have fallen flat. But Robbie and Skarsgard worked beautifully together, and I loved just how much romance was in it. They really focused on this relationship, and it held the whole film together which was really interesting to see.

Amazing Line-Up

The rest of the cast shines just as brightly as the two lovebirds. Djimon Hounsou brought his usual fear and intimidation to Chief Mbonga. Honestly, no one does scary like he does. But the true evil genius was Christoph Waltz, and as usual, he reminded us just how good he is at being bad. An oppressor in nature, he was easy to hate and a clear and common enemy. And of course, to balance it all out, Samuel L. Jackson brought the comedy. He was arguably the most relatable character in the movie. He's new to this world, as we are, and his reactions are almost exactly like the audiences, which is a nice and light break from all the action and drama.

David Yates' directing gives us all the right emotions.

Director David Yates really outdid himself with this one, in my opinion. I think it was so beautifully shot, particularly the fight scene between Tarzan and Akut. He keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, and even though we know so much of this is CGI, he still manages to make us forget, which is a true talent. He switches from nail-biting showdowns to intimate romance, from gasps to sighs. It almost makes us forgive him for Order of the Phoenix. Not quite, but maybe one day.

This is just one girl's opinion, keep in mind. And it seems to be a rare one. The general consensus is that the film fell flat, and didn't have much going for it. But most of those opinions are coming from film critics. And I, my friends, am not a film critic. I'm just a girl who loves to escape. Who loves to sit down to a good movie and lose herself in the world, become friends with the characters. And The Legend of Tarzan succeeded in that. And so because of that, I say to you, give it a chance! Don't listen to the critics! You know what? Don't even listen to me. Go and decide for yourself.