Disappointed...

Rating: 6/10 (28 June 1999)

Despite the rave reviews of "Tarzan", I must say I was disappointed by it. It pales in comparison to most of the recent Disney cartoons including the underrated "Hunchback of Notre Dame"-- it's not quite in the same league as "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Lion King".
First, to make it clear to prospective viewers, this movie IS NOT A MUSICAL! I was very surprised by that. Phil Collins' songs are sparsely featured throughout the film, but he sings them all. I found that a bit jarring and it "threw me off" for nearly the first 30 minutes of the film.
The plot is thin at the start, but picks up when Jane arrives. Minnie Driver's vocalization of Jane is definitely the highlight of the entire film. She is perfect.
The ending of the film I found a bit contrived. Without trying to spoil the plot, let's just say I had trouble with the "being in love" part-- I think a more likely reason for certain people to stay with Tarzan is that their life's work involving gorillas could be fulfilled. There was no evidence of anyone being "in love" throughout the movie.