TARZAN (1999)
Starring the voices of Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Rosie O'Donnell, Brian Blessed, Nigel Hawthorne, Lance Henriksen, Wayne Knight, Alex D. Linz and Taylor Dempsey.
Screenplay by Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker and Noni White.
Directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck.
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. 88 minutes. Rated G.
After the Disney animation wing sagged a little with recent films like Mulan and Hercules, here is a return to form. While not quite up to the standards of the troika of early 90s classics (The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast and Aladdin) it is still sturdy entertainment for adults as well as kids.
Tarzan succeeds because of a clever storyline – much closer to Edgar Rice Burrough’s original book than most previous Hollywood retellings. The story of a man who grows up with apes and the British woman on safari who touches his heart is surprisingly profound and surprisingly touching.
Better yet, the action sequences are much more rousing than supposed summer blockbusters like Wild Wild West and Lake Placid can even hope to touch.
While every once in a while, it falls into the standard Disney elements like deviously evil bad guys and cutesy animal pals (Rosie O’Donnell’s Terk is particularly annoying in this way) Tarzan is a clever adventure story well told. (6/99)
Alex Diamond
Copyright ©1999 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 18, 1999.
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