Sometimes movies don't work particularly well. They seem to have much of the needed components but the end result falls flat or is off-target. That fits as the description for "Greystoke, the Legend of Tarzan" an ambitious and large-budgeted production of the the earlier 80s. It's directed by Hugh Hudson and stars Christopher Lambert, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, and debuts a young 20-something Andie MacDowell. The story is long-winded and without spirit. For starters, The ape scenes are mixed. Sometimes the difficulties of make-believe with puppeteering and live-action are out on display, as well as some poorly designed sets/stages. In this case at times ape- actors/costumes/puppets are woefully unbelieable, and the main set with the black panther looked tacky and man-made. Worse though, Lambert seems miscast physically. He has no muscularity and we are supposed to believe he is king of the apes!? Then the filmmakers capitalize on animal-call parlor tricks which wears thin over the runtime. However, Richardson and Holm together help prop the movie up to keep it away from failure. They are excellent in most scenes, and I especially enjoyed the early scenes of discovery and learning with forsaken Holms and Lambert characters as well the old Richardson remarking of his land and legacy. MacDowell's voice was strangely dubbed reportedly, and confirmed although she has a lesser role than first billing - maybe 35 min of screen time and is quietly on display dollishly. There needed to be more excitement, vitality, and physicality in the movie, although the filmmakers did achieve the sensory/feeling/touching part of primates pretty well. The internal conflict doesn't really involve, and there's no real antagonist or something to be lost. To note, Photography and music are competently put together. A mixed bag - 6/10
