Verdict:Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a confirmed FLOP based on our analysis of audience ratings and box office momentum.
With a rating of 6.4/10, it has delivered a mixed experience for fans of the Adventure, Drama, Action, Romance genre.
Answer: Yes, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Adventure movies.
It features a runtime of 143 minutes and offers a standard storyline that appeals to general audiences.
Last updated: January 11, 2026
Released in 1984, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes enters the Adventure genre with a narrative focused on A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. Under the direction of Hugh Hudson, the film attempts to weave detailed character arcs with visual storytelling.
The film is anchored by performances from Christopher Lambert, Andie MacDowell, Ralph Richardson. While the cast delivers competent performances, the script occasionally limits their range.
From a technical standpoint, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes offers a competent presentation. The cinematography uses a distinct visual palette that aligns well with the tone. While the 4K mastering highlights the production value, the pacing during its 143-minute runtime can feel deliberate.
Beyond the narrative, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes resonates with current cultural themes in the Adventure space. It stays within the established boundaries of its genre, providing exactly what core fans expect without reinventing the wheel.
As of January 2026, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is available in theaters worldwide. For streaming audiences in the US, UK, and India, look for availability on major platforms roughly 45-60 days after the theatrical release. Don't miss the high-definition experience provided by premium large format (PLF) screenings.
The plot of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes centers on a unique premise within the Adventure landscape. A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant, and gives birth to a son in their tree house. Soon after, a family of apes stumble across the house and in the ensuing panic, both parents are killed. A female ape takes the tiny boy as a replacement for her own dead infant, and raises him as her son. Twenty years later, Captain Phillippe D'Arnot discovers the man who thinks he is an ape. Evidence in the tree house leads him to believe that he is the direct descendant of the Earl of Greystoke, and thus takes it upon himself to return the man to civilization. The second act serves as a major turning point, leading to a climax that fans of 1984 cinema will find fairly predictable.
The ending of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes has sparked significant debate on social media. It signifies the ambiguous resolution of the main plot thread. Given the current box office momentum, discussions of a Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes sequel or a wider cinematic universe are already gaining traction.
Final verdict for Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984): with an audience rating of 6.4/10, the reception has been divisive. It is a recommended for fans of Adventure, Drama, Action, Romance cinema who appreciate attention to detail.
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Worldwide Gross | $45,858,563 |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 6.4/10, and global collection metrics, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes stands as a challenging project for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 1984 cinematic year.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes has received mixed reviews with a 6.4/10 rating, making it a moderate success with the audience.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a mixed bag. It might be worth watching if you're a fan of Adventure, Drama, Action movies, but read reviews first.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a Adventure, Drama, Action movie that A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant, and gives birth to a son in their t...
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes has received mixed reviews with a 6.4/10 rating, making it a moderate success with the audience.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a mixed bag. It might be worth watching if you're a fan of Adventure, Drama, Action movies, but read reviews first.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a Adventure, Drama, Action movie that A shipping disaster in the 19th Century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant, and gives birth to a son in their t...
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes is a Adventure, Drama, Action movie. Please check the content rating before watching with family.
You can find streaming options and availability for Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes on popular platforms. Check movieMx for the latest updates and reviews.
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes features a talented cast. Check our "Top Cast" section to see the full list of actors and the characters they play in this film.
The runtime and duration of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes are available in the movie details section. It's a gripping story that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
John, John, John of the jungle. Upon release mixed notices greeted this attempt to get to the crux of Edgar Rice Burroughs' jungle man creation, The Lord of the Apes, Tarzan. It's a bold movie in many ways, one of those occasions when a fondly thought of character from days of yore is given the serious make - over treatment. Which as film history tells us is often very tricky. Plot trajectory has a lost child of the British aristocracy reared by apes in the African jungle after his parents were shipwrecked there. Feral but wonderfully skilled with it, the child becomes a feral man of some substance, but when he is discovered by explorers he is taken to Britain and his ancestral home. Lord Greystoke becomes his title, but his loyalties, confusion and emotions continue to pull him in two directions. The story as written obviously becomes a two-parter. The first part is the best as Greystoke is born into the jungle and we are up close and personal with the ape community. The action is very well marshalled, the effects work of a high quality, and the realisation of the situational dynamics is superb. Not forgetting, either, some mighty emotional thumps as the dangers of mother nature's creatures tugs away at the old heart strings, the rules and brutality of the jungle given weighty filmic thrust. Shifting gear to the "jungle man in aristocracy Britain" thread, the pace slows down considerably as Greystoke dons a tux and gets the hots for Miss Jane Potter. It's this section of film that proves problematic. Narrative is bogged down by philosophical brain farts, further compounded by Andie MacDowell's (Jane) voice being dubbed by Glenn Close and the fake noises coming out of Christopher Lambert's (Greystoke) mouth, they are both very disconcerting issues. Thankfully Ralph Richardson (in his last film before he passed away) is on hand as Grandfather Greystoke to give the pic a warm and tender center. Tech credits are a mixed bag, with John Alcott's photography impressive on both continents and Rick Baker & Paul Engelen's makeup work is from the high end. Sadly, John Scott's musical score is not nearly epic enough, while director Hugh Hudson is guilty as charged when it comes to not keeping seamless the transitional change over from jungle to mainland, more so as the great Ian Holm gets short shrift here. What a waste! Yet it's a film that's easy to warm too. Stirring and touching in equal measure, it has enough qualities to off-set the flaws. 7/10
