Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Legend of Tarzan 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Welcome (back) to the jungle.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III January 21, 2024

Perhaps fueled by Warner Archive's recent Blu-ray release of the original Tarzan the Ape Man, there's been a bit of renewed interest in the franchise (at least according to current Amazon sales rankings) including 2016's The Legend of Tarzan, and a quick scan of our database shows that we never covered the 4K edition of that title. Released in the very first year of the format's existence, it was passed over by many fans the first time around but stands decently tall as a solid visual upgrade over its Blu-ray counterpart. Unsurprisingly, the audio and bonus features are identical.

For a synopsis and critique of the main feature, please refer to either Michael Reuben's review of the Blu-ray edition (linked above) or a slightly warmer take by Brian Orndorf in his earlier theatrical review. I lean a bit closer towards Brian's feelings but am perhaps a bit warmer still on this one -- it's two steps below Tarzan's most memorable outings but certainly not the worst of the bunch (not even close), buoyed by a solid cast and slick visuals but hampered by an uneven screenplay and questionable CGI elements. (It's no The Jungle Book, that's for sure.) However, my warmer take on the film may just be a result of the crisper, more vibrant visuals afforded by this upscaled 2160p/HDR10 transfer, which doesn't stand head-and-shoulders above the Blu-ray but is the inarguable winner in direct comparison.

The Legend of Tarzan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As Michael Reuben noted in his review of the Blu-ray edition, The Legend of Tarzan was shot digitally and finished on a 2K digital intermediate. This means that WB's 2160p/HDR transfer is the result of an upscale, and anyone familiar with the UHD format should know that this typically doesn't produce as drastic a difference in quality than films finished in 4K. That's more or less the case here, and for two more reasons as well: The Legend of Tarzan's cinematography favors cold, desaturated hues and this dual-layered disc (66GB), despite being authored with the more efficient HEVC codec, doesn't have the real estate of triple-layered discs (100GB) which are a bit more common these days.

That's not to say that differences can't be seen and appreciated; far from it. The UHD disc's overall level of fine detail, textures, and contrast values is noticeably better in direct comparison, with a greater ability to render subtle gradients without occasionally succumbing to mild banding, crush, and other such compression artifacts. Additionally, the HDR10 enhancement pulls its weight where color depth and black/white levels are concerned, wringing quite a bit more range and a higher level of visual interest out of scenes that looked a bit flat or overly washed-out on the Blu-ray. Both discs earn proportionately solid marks, and if I were grading the Blu-ray by today's expectations I might score it closer to an even 4/5. But since this is more of a "hindsight review", I'll call it like I see it: the Blu-ray will look just fine on small to mid-sized displays... but on anything larger than say, 65 inches, several seams will begin to show and that's where the UHD disc will shine a lot brighter. If that aligns with your current setup, it's well worth consideration.

The Legend of Tarzan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As mentioned earlier, the excellent Dolby Atmos mix found on the Blu-ray edition is included here as well, and I was just as impressed as Michael was with its overall level of power, fidelity, and precision. Please bear in mind that the 4K disc's dub and subtitle options are different than the Blu-ray edition; for a complete list, please see above.

The Legend of Tarzan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc set (you know, back when Warner Bros. made combo packs) ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with grim, poster-themed cover artwork; a now-expired Digital Copy may or may not be included, and you probably won't get a slipcover at this point either. What you will, get, though, is the same mix of extras on the included 1080p disc. I'll list them below in name only, but more details can be found in Michael Reuben's review of the Blu-ray edition.

• Tarzan Reborn (15:10)


• Battles and Bare-Knuckle Brawls
• Tarzan vs. Akut (5:15)
• Boma Stampede (4:53)
• Train Ambush (4:57)


• Tarzan and Jane's Unfailing Love (6:01)


• Creating the Virtual Jungle (15:16)


• Gabon to the Screen (2:28)


• Stop Ivory (1:30)


• Introductory Trailers

The Legend of Tarzan 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

David Yates' The Legend of Tarzan is a bit of an anomaly in hindsight: a well-cast and technically worthy but otherwise middle-of-the-road Tarzan adventure, it performed decently well at the box office but fell short of sequel territory. I've got a little bit of a soft spot for it, and anyone halfway intrigued by its cast should at least give this one a fair shake. While Warner Bros.' Blu-ray is a solid enough effort for those with small to mid-sized displays, those with the proper equipment should opt for this UHD release if they unsurprisingly missed it soon after the format's launch.