THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (2016)

Summary:

Years after leaving the jungles of Africa to live a civilized life as John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke, in Victorian London with his beloved wife Jane, Tarzan is unexpectedly called back to the Congo Free State. Initially hesitant to return to his wild past, he accepts an invitation from King Leopold II of Belgium to serve as a trade emissary, accompanied by American envoy George Washington Williams, who suspects the Belgians are enslaving the local population.

However, this return is a meticulously planned trap orchestrated by the ruthless Captain Léon Rom, an envoy for King Leopold. Rom intends to capture Tarzan and deliver him to Chief Mbonga, a tribal leader seeking revenge for the death of his son at Tarzan's hands, in exchange for a fortune in diamonds. When Jane is taken captive during Rom's raid, Tarzan must shed his aristocratic facade, embrace his primal instincts, and unleash the legendary ape-man to rescue his wife, confront Rom, and prevent the widespread enslavement of the Congolese people.

Keywords: The Legend of Tarzan, 2016, Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Action, Adventure, Jungle, Africa, Slavery, Revenge.

Plot:

The film opens eight years after John Clayton III, once known as Tarzan, left the African jungle. He now resides in a grand estate in England as Lord Greystoke, living a life of quiet aristocracy with his American wife, Jane Porter Clayton. His days as the ape-man are a distant memory, a past he has consciously put behind him. However, his peaceful existence is disrupted when King Leopold II of Belgium extends an invitation for him to return to the Congo Free State, ostensibly as a trade emissary. The American diplomat George Washington Williams approaches Clayton, expressing his deep suspicions about Leopold's true intentions in the Congo, fearing widespread enslavement and exploitation, and urges Clayton to accept the invitation to investigate.

Initially, Clayton is reluctant, wary of revisiting a past he has worked hard to escape. Jane, however, misses Africa and her old friends, and she convinces him that his unique connection to the land and its people makes him the ideal person to uncover the truth. They embark on the journey, accompanied by Williams, to the familiar, yet now politically fraught, landscapes of the Congo. Upon their arrival, they are warmly welcomed by the Kuba tribe, Tarzan's adoptive family, and reconnect with old friends, including Chief Mbonga. The reunion is short-lived, however, as the insidious plot begins to unfold. Captain Léon Rom, a brutal and calculating envoy for King Leopold, has made a pact with Chief Mbonga. Rom needs access to the vast diamond mines controlled by Mbonga to finance Leopold's mercenary army, which will secure the entire Congo for Belgium. In exchange, Mbonga demands Tarzan, whose son was killed by Tarzan years ago in a territorial dispute, as retribution.

Rom orchestrates a surprise attack on the Kuba village. Amidst the chaos, Tarzan is incapacitated, and Jane, along with several members of the tribe, is captured by Rom's forces. Rom, a man who uses a rosary as a garrote and exhibits chilling indifference to human suffering, makes it clear that Jane is merely bait. His plan is to transport Tarzan to Mbonga, collect the diamonds, and then ferry the captured villagers and slaves to Boma, the main port, where they will be shipped out. When Tarzan awakens to find Jane gone, a primal rage ignites within him. The veneer of Lord Greystoke shatters, and the ape-man begins to re-emerge. Williams, witnessing the profound transformation, vows to assist Tarzan, driven by his own past guilt over his involvement in massacres of Native Americans during the American Civil War, seeing this as a chance for redemption.

The pursuit begins, a harrowing journey across the untamed African landscape. Tarzan, guided by his intimate knowledge of the jungle, tracks Rom's heavily armed convoy. Along the way, he reconnects with the wild, communicating with animals, swinging through trees with astonishing agility, and engaging in fierce, visceral combat. Flashbacks are interspersed throughout the narrative, revealing Tarzan's origin story: his parents' death, his adoption by a gorilla named Kala, his upbringing among the great apes, his first encounter with Jane, and the tragic confrontation with Mbonga's son that led to the Chief's enduring vendetta. These memories serve to solidify his identity as both man and ape, reminding him of the strength and ferocity he once wielded.

Jane, despite her captivity, displays remarkable resilience and defiance. She attempts to escape, sends signals to Tarzan, and verbally spars with Rom, revealing her intelligence and courage. Her steadfastness fuels Tarzan's determination. Williams, initially out of his element in the brutal jungle, slowly adapts, providing strategic insight and moral support. He witnesses firsthand the devastation caused by Rom's men, who are systematically destroying villages and enslaving their inhabitants. Tarzan's journey also involves confronting his past. He faces off against Akut, the alpha male gorilla who took over Tarzan's ape family after he left, in a brutal, ritualistic fight for dominance, re-establishing his connection and respect within the ape community. He also calls upon his old allies, the elephants, who remember him as one of their own.

As they close in on Rom, Tarzan and Williams manage to free some enslaved people, learning more about Rom's ultimate destination: Boma, where the diamonds and the remaining captives will be loaded onto ships. Tarzan eventually confronts Chief Mbonga, explaining Rom's manipulative scheme and exposing how Rom plans to betray Mbonga after securing the diamonds. Mbonga, realizing he has been used, becomes an unlikely, albeit temporary, ally. The climax unfolds in Boma, where Rom's fleet of ships awaits. Tarzan, Williams, the freed slaves, and the Kuba warriors, aided by a stampede of elephants summoned by Tarzan, launch a full-scale assault on Rom's forces. The battle is chaotic and destructive, with Tarzan leading the charge, moving like a blur through the fight, a powerful force of nature.

During the melee, Jane manages to escape her confinement on Rom's ship. Tarzan corners Rom on the deck of his vessel, engaging in a brutal hand-to-hand fight. Tarzan, using his superior strength and agility, gains the upper hand. In a dramatic final moment, he binds Rom with his own garrote rosary and drops him into the river, where he is dragged under by waiting crocodiles, a fitting end for the predator. With Rom defeated, the remaining enslaved people are freed, the diamonds are recovered, and King Leopold's nefarious plans for the Congo are thwarted. Tarzan, having fully embraced his dual identity, decides to remain in Africa with Jane, now truly at peace with his past and his present. The film concludes with Tarzan and Jane, now expecting a child, choosing to dedicate their lives to protecting the Congo and its people, ensuring that the legend of Tarzan continues to inspire hope and justice in the heart of Africa.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Alexander Skarsgård as John Clayton III / Tarzan
• Margot Robbie as Jane Porter Clayton
• Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams
• Christoph Waltz as Captain Léon Rom
• Djimon Hounsou as Chief Mbonga
• Jim Broadbent as Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil
• Casper Crump as Major Kerckhover

Crew:

• Director: David Yates
• Screenplay: Adam Cozad, Craig Brewer
• Story by: Adam Cozad, Craig Brewer
• Based on Characters Created by: Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Producers: Jerry Weintraub, David Barron, Alan Riche, Tony Ludwig
• Cinematography: Henry Braham
• Editor: Mark Day
• Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: July 1, 2016 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Action, Adventure
• Running Time: 110 minutes
• Accolades: Mixed reviews; praised for visuals and performances.