Tarzan II DVD Review:

Believe it or not, some people – mostly youngsters – may be more interested in finding out how Tarzan became “Tarzan” than in discovering how Bruce Wayne transformed himself into “Batman.” What took place between the time a baby boy survived a plane crash in Africa and his reign as King of the Jungle? Walt Disney’s animated “Tarzan II,” released on DVD, answers that question with humor for the kids and a few laughs thrown in for their parents.

Through the magic of lively animation backed up by a spirited soundtrack, viewers are introduced to an awkward teenage Tarzan (voiced by Harrison Chad) as he searches for an identity among the creatures of the jungle. “Who Am I?” a haunting new song by Phil Collins, sets just the right tone for this particular theme, and a charming sequence shows the boy imitating various animals to see if their behavior works for him. During Tarzan’s search, he meets Zugor (voiced hilariously by George Carlin), a cranky monster reminiscent of Frank Morgan’s character in “The Wizard of Oz.” Nevertheless, it’s Zugor who helps Tarzan discover his true nature and amazing vine-swinging skills. Naturally, Tarzan’s mother (voiced by Glenn Close) and his jungle friends, the playful young ape Terk (voiced by Brenda Grate) and baby elephant Tantor (voiced by Harrison Fahn) rejoice at the boy’s newfound self-esteem.

For moviegoers who found Disney’s 1999 “Tarzan” too frenetic and migraine-producing because of its loud soundtrack and quick camera moves, “Tarzan II” is a blessing. It’s much easier to watch. The animation, even in scary scenes, comes across as more viewer-friendly, probably because this movie aims to please a younger demographic.

In consideration of the film’s target audience, the DVD bonus items include interesting activities for the little ones. There’s a memory game called “Gorilla Grumble” that challenges kids to rescue Tantor while two bumbling rogue gorillas (voiced by Brad Garrett and Ron Perlman) poke at each other as well as a “Jungle Guide” with amusing explanations by Tantor and Terk. A backstage Disney featurette showing how filmmakers brought the new Tarzan movie to life, and a music video performed by Tiffany Evans round out the excellent DVD materials. Oops – I almost forgot. There’s also an item called “Tarzan’s Matter-of-Facts” which allows viewers to watch the movie with pop-ups explaining various jungle facts and the ape language developed by Edgar Rice Burroughs, creator of Tarzan.

Is there room for another Tarzan movie? After all, over FORTY films have already been made about this legendary hero. (My favorites? Those old live-action flicks starring Johnny Weissmuller.) If a film helps children understand that being different doesn’t mean being less worthy, and if, like “Tarzan II,” it does so in a lighthearted and humanistic way, the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes.”



Betty Jo Tucker