Although this film has gained a reputation for being the best of the dozens of Tarzan films released in the early 20th century, it's still essentially a B-movie. The acting, writing, and filming often come across as low-budget and sloppy, and it feels less like a grand adventure film than a vehicle to titillate audiences with Jane's sex appeal (in particular, featuring a controversial and now-legendary underwater nude swimming scene, which was the target of the Hays Code's first major censorship campaign when it went into effect later in 1934). The picture also bafflingly chooses to focus on two unsympathetic white colonialist protagonists for much of its runtime, and when Tarzan finally appears after nearly 20 minutes, he's little more than dim-witted eye-candy, unlike the character in Burroughs's novels, who is brilliant and has a rich inner world.

Nevertheless, as a B-movie the film certainly has its merits. Some of the scenes are unintentionally hilarious, including the attack of the crazed rhinoceros (in the middle of an African jungle!), the hippo that rescues Tarzan by carrying him on its back, and the protracted crocodile wrestling fight. If you can get past the overt racism, some of the chase scenes with the cannibals are pretty exciting too. And of course, former Olympic swimming gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller and the incomparable Maureen O'Sullivan look great in their loincloths.