I have fond recollections of the 1930s Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller — though not the later versions with Ron Ely, Mike Henry, Jock Mahoney, Lex Barker and Gordon Scott, most of which I skipped.  More recent versions of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Tarzan stories are origin tales, attempting to reconcile the wild man of the jungle with his more “civilized” persona as the Fifth Earl of Greystoke in England.  That is also the path of this movie, The Legend of Tarzan, which I have found to be quite effective and enjoyable.

David Yates’ film jumps back and forth in time, beginning for once at Greystoke, where John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgård) insists on putting his days as Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, in the past.  But sinister stuff is being done in the Belgian Congo, and Clayton is reluctantly persuaded to return to the jungle of his youth — along with his wife, Jane (Margot Robbie), and an American adventurer who is aware that some of the intrigue involves slavery, which he detests.  That adventurer, George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson), accompanies Clayton into the jungle but is wholly unprepared for what awaits him.

The editing, photography and music for this adventure are all top-notch, making the jungle seem real and inviting.  Skarsgård is a very handsome Tarzan, athletic and intellectual; Robbie is a joy as Jane.  Jackson has fun with his role and so does Christoph Waltz as the Belgian bad guy.  Waltz takes on these villainous roles far too often, but he is effective in them.  There are times that the story is just too goofy to believe, but overall the film works because so much care is taken.  I was surprised to find myself liking the film as it developed, and fascinated to see how Tarzan would save the day.

Only 1984’s Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes has treated this material so seriously, and I think this film is better than that one.  It perhaps relies too much on viewer knowledge of the Tarzan traditions, but it is both diverting and compelling.  Credit the filmmakers for delivering a decent version of a timeworn classic, making it seem fresh and vibrant and new.  I like what the writers have done with the material, and how director Yates has fashioned his tale.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  7 July 2016.