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Review by Susan Granger
4 stars out of 4
"Tarzan" is the best animated adventure since "The Lion King"!
Not only does it have family drama, laughter, love, and five new songs
by Phil Collins, but it offers young boys a viable role model for the
emotional conflicts of adolescence. The story begins as a shipwrecked
infant is orphaned in Africa when his parents are devoured by a
leopard. Despite the initial reluctance of her mate, he is adopted by
a loving female gorilla, Kala (voiced by Glenn Close), who has herself
lost a child. As Tarzan matures into a young man (Tony Goldwyn) with
the instincts and athletic prowess of a jungle animal, his idyllic
habitat is invaded by British visitors, most notably Jane (Minnie
Driver). Quickly realizing that she's more like him than any other
animal he's ever seen, he's immediately intrigued - and far too
curious. Meanwhile, her nutty father (Nigel Hawthorne) and gun-toting,
big game hunter (Brian Blessed) pose a threat to the sanctity of the
jungle. That much is predictable from the Edgar Rice Burroughs
classic. Yet there's a lot that's new here. Tarzan no longer swings on
vines; instead, he glides through the trees like a skateboard surfer
on safari. And Cheetah's been replaced by annoyingly brash, comical
Terk (Rosie O'Donnell). But, even deeper, this Tarzan is an adolescent
in search of his own identity, wondering: Who am I? What am I? And,
most important, where do I belong? It's a coming-of-age comedy-drama,
not unlike "The Lion King," and the thoughtful, sensitive conclusion
differs from the traditional tale. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to
10, this "Tarzan" is a timely, triumphant 10. He's a hero for our
times: a cool guy who seeks harmony and acts from the heart, utterly
devoid of machismo.
Copyright © 2000 Susan Granger
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out of 4
