--- title: "Tarzan" year: 1999 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/tarzan" fi1m_id: "tarzan" imdb_id: "tt0120855" tmdb_id: 37135 wikidata_id: "Q208696" fi1m_score: 77 critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 9 published: "2026-10-05T01:40:25.142563+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T01:40:25.552394+00:00" region: "LT" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Tarzan (1999) Directed by Chris Buck, Kevin Lima · 1h 28m · Animation, Family, Adventure ## Identity Tarzan - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/tarzan - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** tarzan - **IMDb ID:** tt0120855 - **TMDB ID:** 37135 - **Wikidata ID:** Q208696 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120855/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/37135, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q208696 **Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 68 from 9 reviews *In a sentence:* Tarzan is splendid company until somebody decides it is time for a joke > *Tarzan* is a lively animated adventure, worth an evening for its movement through the trees and expressive apes. The comedy is patchier, and the rush to keep moving leaves some feelings too little time to settle. ## Synopsis Tarzan (Tony Goldwyn) moves through the jungle among apes in an animated adventure drawn from Edgar Rice Burroughs. Alex D. Linz voices Young Tarzan, with Kala (Glenn Close) and Kerchak (Lance Henriksen) also central to the story. Jane Porter (Minnie Driver), Professor Archimedes Q. Porter (Nigel Hawthorne) and Clayton (Brian Blessed) feature alongside Terk (Rosie O’Donnell) and Tantor (Wayne Knight). Directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck, the 88-minute family adventure moves between jungle action, comic interludes and encounters with the apes. ## Review Kevin Lima and Chris Buck make *Tarzan* most convincing whenever they let its hero move. This is a good family adventure, worth an evening for the pleasure of watching him find his way through the jungle. The comedy is uneven, and the eagerness to hurry onwards sometimes works against the feeling in the faces. At 88 minutes, the film could afford to let a few more of its quieter exchanges last a little longer. The combination of drawn animation and computer-aided depth gives the jungle a convincing sense of space. Tarzan’s movement through it has weight, even when the speed looks impossible, and the action remains clear enough for us to follow each change of direction. We were exhilarated by these passages, which make travelling through the trees interesting in itself. They also remind us how much an animated film can communicate before anybody needs to open their mouth. The apes are worth watching even when there is less happening. Their animation gives small changes of expression enough attention to make the quieter material register, and Glenn Close brings a welcome steadiness to Kala. Lance Henriksen gives Kerchak gravity without needing to push every line, while Tony Goldwyn’s Tarzan is appealing enough to hold the centre. The frustration is that the film keeps finding another reason to get moving when these performances have already secured our attention. Minnie Driver gives Jane Porter an alert, lively voice, and Brian Blessed brings an enjoyable force to Clayton. The screenplay by Bob Tzudiker, Noni White and Tab Murphy is less successful with the villain, who never becomes as interesting as the action surrounding him. Its comic material is patchy too, leaving Rosie O’Donnell’s Terk and Wayne Knight’s Tantor with interruptions that do not always earn their place. Those voices have plenty of energy; what they need is better material. Gregory Perler’s editing keeps the action legible at speed, but the rhythm of the film as a whole is more wearing. A pause would sometimes help more than another burst of activity. Mark Mancina’s music is most effective when it supports the movement, and less persuasive when it presses us towards an emotion that the animation has already made clear. The sentimentality is not a serious fault on its own, but the insistence can make a tender moment feel overworked. Animated family adventures often seem nervous about asking children to sit with a feeling, and we wish the directors had trusted their audience a little more. The attention paid to the apes suggests that they know how to hold a scene without constantly adding to it. There is enough warmth here for a gentler pace, even in a film so good at going fast. Choose it when the family wants an adventure, rather than something to settle everyone down. *Fi1m score 77, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics respond warmly to Tarzan, with praise clustering around the animation and the energy of its jungle adventure. The reviews repeatedly single out Tarzan’s movement through the trees, the fluid action and the combination of drawn animation with computer-generated depth. Several also welcome the storytelling, finding a polished, engaging Disney adaptation. The portrayal of the apes draws praise, as do Minnie Driver and Brian Blessed’s voice performances. The spread is fairly wide, though even the less enthusiastic reviews admire the visuals. Reservations concern the weak villain, occasional mawkishness and whether the action leaves enough space for feeling. Variety finds the pace too relentless and misses quieter, emotionally resonant moments. Radio Times is the clearest dissenter, judging the film well below Disney’s stronger work and finding the comic relief weak. The disagreement centres on how much the storytelling offers beyond the animation. ## Straight answers **Is Tarzan worth watching?** *Tarzan* is worth watching for families after a lively animated adventure, and we score it 77 out of 100. We especially enjoy the clear, exhilarating movement through the trees and the expressive apes, though the patchy comedy interrupts and the quieter feelings need more time to settle. **How long is Tarzan, and what is it rated?** *Tarzan* runs 1h 28m. It is an animation and family film. **Where can I watch Tarzan in Lithuania?** *Tarzan* is streaming on Disney+ in Lithuania. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Tarzan compare to The Jungle Book?** *Tarzan* is the faster, more action-led choice beside [*The Jungle Book*](https://film.one/film/the-jungle-book), which gives its songs and leisurely comedy more room. We prefer *The Jungle Book* for relaxed family viewing and its surer comic touch; *Tarzan* suits an evening when movement through the jungle matters more than settling down. **Is Tarzan based on a true story or a book?** *Tarzan* is based on a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, rather than a true story. We recommend it as a family adventure that needs no prior reading, though that recommendation rests on its animation and performances rather than how faithfully it follows the book. **What should I watch after Tarzan?** After *Tarzan*, try [*The Jungle Book*](https://film.one/film/the-jungle-book) (1967, Fi1m 80): Another jungle childhood, with more space for songs and leisurely comic business. Then [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): A gentler forest adventure that gives childhood feelings time to settle; and [*The Iron Giant*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant) (1999, Fi1m 88): Expressive animation makes an unlikely friendship matter before the action takes over. ### Reviews we read (9) - **Empire**, Ian Nathan (80/100, inferred): Nathan calls it a polished, entertaining return to classic Disney storytelling. He singles out its strong story and superior animation, while noting that its villain falls short of the best Disney antagonists. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/tarzan-review/) - **Total Film**, Total Film (4/5): The critic calls it one of Disney’s best, praising its lively, energetic adventure. They single out the fluid animation and spectacular jungle visuals, alongside well-choreographed action. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/tarzan-review/) - **IndieWire**, Greg Ehrbar (75/100, inferred): Ehrbar regards Tarzan as a beautiful, worthwhile film that looks especially impressive on Blu-ray. He singles out Glen Keane’s animation and the near-seamless blend of 2-D artwork and computer-generated depth. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/blu-ray-review-disneys-hercules-and-tarzan-124053/) - **Los Angeles Times**, JOHN TALIAFERRO (75/100, inferred): The critic finds Disney’s adaptation a lively, credible realization of Tarzan, even as it softens the original story. He especially praises the animation’s intimate portrayal of the apes and Tarzan’s exhilarating movement through the jungle. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-20-ca-48207-story.html) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not expose the critic’s verdict. It provides no reliable information about what the review praises or criticizes. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/18/movies/film-review-monkey-business-rewriting-the-jungle-book.html) - **Time Out**, WH (64/100, inferred): The visible description presents the film as advancing deep-focus cel animation, but does not reveal the critic’s overall verdict. It singles out the animation’s computer-aided deep-focus technique as a point of interest. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/tarzan) - **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (60/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film engaging and visually arresting, but not among Disney’s top animated features. He praises its richly detailed animation while faulting its relentless action and lack of quiet, emotionally resonant moments. [Read](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/tarzan-1117499855/) - **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (2/5): Jones says the film falls well short of Disney’s best output. He praises its visually arresting action scenes but criticizes the weak comic relief. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-r7jg87/tarzan/) - **Eye for Film**, Gary Duncan (80/100, inferred): Duncan finds the animated adventure entertaining and its storytelling-and-animation combination successful, despite occasional mawkishness. He especially praises the exhilarating jungle-swinging sequences and Minnie Driver and Brian Blessed’s voice performances. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/tarzan-film-review-by-gary-duncan) ## Details - **Director:** Chris Buck, Kevin Lima - **Director:** Chris Buck, Kevin Lima - **Screenplay:** Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White - **Story:** Edgar Rice Burroughs, Stephen Anderson, Mark Kennedy, Carole Holliday, Gaëtan Brizzi, Paul Brizzi, Don Dougherty, Ed Gombert, Randy Haycock, Don Hall, Kevin Harkey, Glen Keane, Burny Mattinson, Frank Nissen, John Norton, Jeff Snow, Mike Surrey, Christopher J. Orr, Mark Walton, Stevie Wermers, Kelly Wightman, John Ramirez - **Novel:** Edgar Rice Burroughs - **Editor:** Gregory Perler - **Music:** Mark Mancina - **Producer:** Bonnie Arnold - **Cast:** Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan (voice); Minnie Driver as Jane Porter (voice); Glenn Close as Kala (voice); Alex D. Linz as Young Tarzan (voice); Rosie O'Donnell as Terk (voice); Brian Blessed as Clayton (voice); Nigel Hawthorne as Professor Archimedes Q. Porter (voice); Lance Henriksen as Kerchak (voice) - **Runtime:** 1h 28m - **First release (the US):** 12 June 1999 - **Genres:** Animation, Family, Adventure - **Budget:** $130 million - **Box office:** $448 million ## Where to watch in Lithuania - Disney+: streaming, hd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 1999: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Jungle Book* (1967), Fi1m 80: Another jungle childhood, with more space for songs and leisurely comic business. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-jungle-book.md) - *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: A gentler forest adventure that gives childhood feelings time to settle. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md) - *The Iron Giant* (1999), Fi1m 88: Expressive animation makes an unlikely friendship matter before the action takes over. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant.md) - *Ernest & Celestine* (2012), Fi1m 84: A bear and mouse make better neighbours than either society expects. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ernest-and-celestine.md) - *The Red Turtle* (2016), Fi1m 84: A quieter encounter with nature, told through movement, weather and silence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-turtle.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/tarzan