Tarzan returns to the jungle in 2016, and the movie proves the legend can’t save a script that doesn’t know what to do with him. The Legend of Tarzan is a failure of ambition, a film that wants to be a political thriller, a love story, and a spectacle all at once — and none of it lands.
Trailer, via Warner Bros..
Tarzan’s Return
The film opens with Tarzan and Jane back in London, raising a child while trying to fit into society. That peace ends when an old enemy resurfaces, and the couple are pulled back to Africa. The setup is simple and effective. The execution isn’t.
A Weak Script
The problem starts with the writing. Dialogue is stilted, characters talk past each other, and the plot drags through its middle stretch. A subplot about colonialism feels heavy-handed rather than urgent. By the time the action picks up, the audience has already lost patience.
Margot Robbie’s Jane
Margot Robbie carries the film as Jane, giving her a warmth and intelligence that the script doesn’t always reward. She shares scenes with Alexander Skarsgård’s Tarzan, who brings physicality but less emotional depth. Their chemistry is there, but it’s buried under a script that doesn’t know what to do with it.
The Jungle Action
The action sequences are the film’s strongest moments. Skarsgård moves through the jungle with confidence, and the set pieces involving animals feel genuinely thrilling. But they’re isolated victories in a film that can’t sustain them.
Christoph Waltz’s Villain
Christoph Waltz plays the villain with menace, but his character is underwritten. He’s a threat, but he’s also a caricature. The film’s attempt to make him a complex figure collapses under the weight of its own convoluted plot.
The Love Triangle
The romantic triangle between Tarzan, Jane, and a new character adds confusion rather than tension. It stretches the runtime without earning its keep.
A Failed Spectacle
The film tries to build toward a grand finale, but the payoff feels hollow. The story hasn’t earned the scale, and the ending feels rushed rather than resolved.
Where It Went Wrong
| Element | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Cast | Skarsgård and Robbie are strong actors | Underwritten dialogue |
| Action | Physical stunts are thrilling | Too few of them |
| Direction | Visually ambitious | Overwhelms the story |
| Story | Opens with promise | Loses focus in the middle |
A Missed Opportunity
The Legend of Tarzan had the makings of a great adventure. What it delivered instead is a bloated, unfocused mess that wastes its cast’s talents. It’s not terrible, but it’s not worth seeing either.
The film’s best moments — the action, the performances, the occasional spark between its leads — are overshadowed by everything around them. That’s a shame, because Tarzan deserves better.
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