Rating: B-
It’s been 10 years since Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), also known as John Clayton III, was discovered by Jane (Margot Robbie) and brought to live in England. George Washington Williams (Samuel Jackson) convinces Tarzan to accept an invitation to the Congo from King Leopold in order to inspect the treatment of the Congolese. Jane insists on returning with her husband, despite his concerns for her safety. However, King Leopold’s invitation is orchestrated by the film’s villain, Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), to lure Tarzan to his death in exchange for rare diamonds.
I went into the film knowing nothing about the premise, assuming it would be the same old Tarzan story. I was surprised that it was a sequel of sorts, but thought that it was a good decision—something different. There were some beautiful shots, cool scenes with animals, and I quite enjoyed the flashback scenes showing Tarzan’s upbringing. Some scenes were pretty cheesy, and a few of the jokes didn’t land for me, but overall it was entertaining.
However, I do have some strong aversions to the premise of this film. George Washington Williams was a real person and King Leopold’s ownership of the Congo and abuse of the Congolese was real. George Washington Williams really did go to the Congo to inspect the treatment of the Congolese. He then went on to write an open letter which brought attention to the issue and resulted in the first public outcry against the regime and the lives lost.
In retelling this historic story PLUS Tarzan, you have a different narrative. The way the film frames it, George Washington Williams’ findings are only made possible by Tarzan. Instead of this being a fun movie about a child brought up in the wild and being able to communicate and talk with animals, it becomes a story of a White Saviour. In altering history, I felt that the film took away from George Washington Williams’ real life achievements, in favour of turning the fictional Tarzan into the hero.