Why Alexander Skarsgård’s 2016 Tarzan reboot was quickly forgotten

MovieWeb deputy editor Britt Hayes revisits David Yates’ 2016 Tarzan reboot, The Legend of Tarzan, which hit theaters on July 1, 2016 and was heavily panned before being largely forgotten. Hayes notes the film tries to reframe Tarzan as socially conscious, setting much of the action in the Congo and casting Christoph Waltz as Léon Rom, a greedy Belgian officer, with Samuel L.

Jackson as American envoy George Washington Williams and Margot Robbie as Jane Porter. The column praises the movie’s attempts at nuance — portraying the villains as colonial exploiters and giving Tarzan (John Clayton, Earl of Greystoke) and Jane a respectful stance toward the Congolese people and animals — while criticizing the film for giving consistent screen time to only one Black character early on and for feeling overly self-serious.

Hayes argues the picture is well-directed in places and often visually Potter-esque (shot on massive London sets with heavy CGI), but finds Alexander Skarsgård miscast, struggles with an inconsistent accent, and says the film is plot-heavy with limited character depth; she highlights a few memorable moments, like Samuel L.

Jackson piggybacking on Tarzan and a climactic crocodile sequence.

the legend of tarzan, 2016 tarzan reboot, david yates, alexander skarsgård miscast, christoph waltz léon rom, samuel l. jackson piggyback scene, margot robbie jane porter, congo setting, colonial exploitation theme, massive london sets, potter-esque visuals