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The Preview Reel: Can Tarzan Purge the BFG?

Scott Davis
The Preview Reel

Welcome to another “Preview Reel” column, where we look at the week’s upcoming wide release movies. Every year, the Fourth of July holiday always provides movie going audiences with some of the year’s biggest blockbusters, and while this year might seem a little tamer than years past, there are still some interesting options. David Yates looks to put his own spin on the classic Tarzan tale with The Legend of Tarzan, Steven Spielberg brings Ronald Dahl’s classic book to life with The BFG, and the Purge gets political with Purge: Election Year.

 

The Legend of Tarzan

What we are excited about:
Harry Potter is one of the most successful movie franchises of all time, so it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. would trust veteran Harry Potter director David Yates with another one of their summer tentpoles. Yates directed the last four Potter installments, including the best received of the series, Deathly Hollows Part 2. He was able to capture the magical world imagined by J.K. Rowling and directed some of the more mature and complex installments of the series. He is going back to that wizarding world later this year with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, so hopefully he was able to give his full attention to The Legend of Tarzan before jumping to that movie. If he did, this could be a summer surprise.

What we are worried about:
The trailers have been generic at best. They seem to be showcasing the same scenes over and over again, which could mean that they are saving the best for the movie or Warner Bros. is not very confident with the other scenes. The other issue with the trailers is that they do not seem to offer a compelling argument as to why this movie needs to exist. It seems to be telling the same story that has been told many times before, so hopefully there is more here than meets the eye.

Critical reception (if any):
As of right now there are no reviews available for the film. For a big summer blockbuster, that is kind of surprising but there should be reviews available soon.

Box office expectations:
With a hefty $180 million budget, Warner Bros. is hoping that Legend of Tarzan will be one of their big summer blockbusters of 2016. It does not look like that will be the case as it is projected to bring around $20 million for the holiday weekend.

Final thoughts:
The Legend of Tarzan could be fun if David Yates is able to capture the same magic he did with the last four Harry Potter films, but this feels like it could be this year’s The Lone Ranger.

The BFG

What we are excited about:
Steven Spielberg is one of the most iconic movie directors of all time. With such hits as E.T., Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and so many more, Spielberg’s name alone is enough to warrant getting excited about a movie. Not only has he directed some of the greatest blockbusters of all-time, but he has also helmed some of the greatest family films ever made, which bodes well for The BFG. Add the fact that it’s based on the classic Ronald Dahl novel, and this could be a solid family flick.

What we are worried about:
The movie looks a little too strange, to be honest. The CGI giants look great on a technical level, but they look too fake and creepy to be interacting with a little girl. It might work within the context of the film, but the trailers give off an uneasy vibe. Hopefully Spielberg’s magic works better in the movie than it does in the trailer.

Critical reception (if any):
The film debuted to a mostly positive reception at this year’s Cannes film festival. The film currently sits at 71% on RottenTomatoes and 65 on MetaCritic. Critics are saying that the film is a technical marvel, even though it doesn’t quite match the heights of other Spielberg classics.

Box office expectations:
The BFG should fare the best out of the three new movies this week, but it could have a tough time topping Finding Dory. Look for a $30 million opening for The BFG.

Final thoughts:
Spielberg is always a name to watch out for, and his name could be the only reason we are remotely interested in The BFG. The trailers have been very average, but reviews are encouraging and it could provide family audiences with another option besides Finding Dory.

The Purge: Election Year

What we are excited about:
Talk about perfect timing. The Purge: Election Year is very wisely being released during an election year and could offer some interesting real-world commentary. Past Purge installments tried their hand at that, but with mixed results at best. With the tagline “Keep America Great” it sounds like the filmmakers might have an impactful real-world connection for this installment.

What we are worried about:
The first two Purge films were met with mixed reviews to say the least. The films seem to have an identity problem where they are unsure if they want to be a scary, violent thriller, or offer some real-world discussion points. Election Year could buck that trend, but the trailers do suggest that the film might reduce back to what made the first two films popular in the first place.

Critical reception (if any):
The film has yet to receive any reviews, although they should be available before its Friday release.

Box office expectations:
The first Purge debuted to $34 million in 2013 on its way to $89 million worldwide. That was against a $3 million budget, so Universal rushed a sequel the next year and that debuted to $29 million and grossed $111 million worldwide. Election Year should see slightly smaller numbers as it will gross around $20 million, which is still great considering its $10 million budget.

Final thoughts:
This summer has already provided a great horror sequel in The Conjuring 2, and although expectations are not as high for The Purge: Election Year, this could be the Purge installment that satisfies both horror fans and the core supporters of the franchise.

Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.
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