Random Movie Review - Tarzan

Ah, the Disney Renaissance. A time in the 90s (and 1989) where Disney had their biggest hits. Box office successes, high ratings on websites like Rotten Tomatoes (in a time where internet was only beginning and the only way to connect was dial up) and a fan following too. Nowadays, Disney are making numerous hits after hits every year with only a small amount of ok and bad films, unlike most of the 00s. While Tarzan is a story that has been adapted many times (though not as many times as A Christmas Carol), most people would say that Disney's version is one of the definitive versions of the story, and rightly so. It may have been the film that ended the Disney Renaissance, but it ended it on a high note. So let's have a look at it:

So an English couple and their baby escape a burning ship and find themselves some land that's near some uncharted rainforests in Africa. Using what they have, they set up camp in a treehouse. However, a leopard manages to find them and kills the baby's parents (a common Disney trope so nothing new there). A gorilla who has also lost her people to the same leopard, named Kala (voiced by Cruella Di Vil herself, Glenn Close) takes the baby to her group and decides to raise him as her own, much to the displeasure of her mate Kerchak (voiced by Lance Henriksen aka Bishop from Alien). Years pass and the boy who Kala calls Tarzan (voiced by Alex D. Linz (child) and Tony Goldwyn (adult)) grows accustomed to the gorillas ways and makes friends with some of them as well as a red elephant. As he matures into a man however, a group of English explorers, arrive on the land and its here where Tarzan comes to understand who he is and must choose to be with his kind or be with the gorillas, unaware of the English hunter's intentions.

In many ways, this is a great film. Its a technical masterpiece, the music by Phil Collins is great and unlike some of Disney's other films, its somewhat accurate to the source material and isn't too Americanised. And I got to say, I am a fan of the tree surfing, though how Tarzan doesn't hurt himself while doing that is possibly a Deus Ex Machina (but I'll leave Cinema Sins to decide on that) moment. Plus without spoiling anything, it does show a dark side to the world of Disney especially towards the end. But other than that, its a great film and in my opinion, the best adaptation of Tarzan out there. 9/10

And just to clarify, unless I see them, I have no intention of reviewing any direct to home media entries for any animated Disney film because I personally don't see the point of it and for the most part, they suck and are just an excuse for Disney to make more money because they are desperate (or were, considering where they are now).