Tarzan

DISCLAIMER: This blog is not for profit. I do not claim ownership of this material - all images and footage used are property of their respective companies unless stated otherwise

                                                    

DISCLAIMER: This blog is not for profit. I do not claim ownership of this material - all images and footage used are property of their respective companies unless stated otherwise

I’m definitely not ashamed to admit that Tarzan is a personal favourite of mine. It boasts fantastic animation, as well as some very likable characters and a real sense of atmosphere throughout, but it seems to be criminally underrated by most people, which is a real shame.

The animation style of this film combines CGI and hand drawn animation in a unique way and as a result, it has the beauty of traditional work, in addition to the depth that Computer Generated animation can admittedly provide. By far the most impressive scenes in the film are of course the action sequences, which look still look spectacular in spite of the film’s age. The sense of setting throughout the film is also very impressive and is well established through both the aforementioned backgrounds, as well as Phil Collin’s soundtrack, which matches the atmosphere very well.

The fact that the characters’ emotions are expressed through the songs lyrics without the characters themselves singing also helps to make the story feel more dramatic and grounded than previous Disney films. Additionally, most of the characters are very funny and likable and Minnie Driver especially does a fantastic job voicing Jane.

There are a few points where Tarzan does admittedly fall flat are the villain and some aspects of the plot. Clayton is fine, but he’s just very one note, especially considering his predecessors included some of the greatest Disney villains of all time. The comic relief characters Terk and Tantor are also pretty forgettable, but they are at least funny and link into the plot. The story also falls into typical Disney Renaissance clichés, especially near the beginning where Tarzan spends much of the run time wondering where he belongs. It fits the story of course, but something within that particular thread was wearing really thin for Disney at the time, especially considering the way it was done here.

But all of that doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic film overall and one that you should definitely try to see if you haven’t already.

Ratings

Good guys: Some very likable protagonists get the good guys 7/10

Bad guys: The bland but passable villain gets 5/10

Animation: Some spectacular work gets 10/10

Music: Phil Collins’ soundtrack creates a real sense of atmosphere, so it gets 8/10

Plot: Although it’s a little clichéd, it does have a pretty good plot, so the story gets 6/10

Overall score: 37/50

Next review: Fantasia 2000