Tarzan & Jane (July 23, 2002)

This is the direct to Video sequel Tarzan (1999) and uses three unaired episodes of the film’s TV show, The Legend of Tarzan. It is set one year after the events of the original movie. It uses a framing device to tell three stories via flashback. The occasion is Jane and Tarzan’s first wedding anniversary and Jane is trying to find a suitable present for her husband with the help of the elephant Tantor and the gorilla Terk (Tarzan’s best friends from the first film. When a party is suggested Terk and Tantor advise against it, telling the story of when Jane’s friends from England arrive for a visit and Tarzan felt he did not fit in with her English custom. Next Jane thinks about getting him Jewelry which prompts Terk to remind her of a time Tarzan tried to get a diamond and it went horribly wrong. Back to the present, the last idea is a dance which is shot down by recounting the memory of when Jane’s old friend Robert Canler visited causing Tarzan to become jealous (only for it to be revealed that her friend was a double agent working for the Germans during World War I). Jane gives up, only to be surprised with a party organized by Tarzan (who also gives her a diamond ring and dances with her). These segments would have worked much better as episodes of a TV show like originally intended. The attempt at combining them seems forced and the animation style is exceptionally low budget (though it does action fairly well). If I had watched this as part of a show, I would have enjoyed the episodes much more. As it stands its really lack luster (and, as a technical note, occasionally the background audio drowns out the dialogue). It does make me interested in The Legend of Tarzan television show, so perhaps it has done its job. I think it is a fine compilation, the definition of average- not worth seeking out but I would not turn it off if it were on TV (it does not have much re-watchability though).

Final Rating 4/10