What happens when you teleport a man to mars? On one hand, you might expect to get the standard stuff like “aliens,” but with Disney’s latest film, John Carter, it’s so much more. You also get action, love, and a thrilling 2 hours of entertainment.
About John Carter
From Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes “John Carter”—a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). “John Carter” is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.The Review
After seeing the previews for John Carter, I knew it was a movie that my friends and I would want to watch. It appeared to have everything a person could want in a movie, and after watching it, it completely was and so much more.
The story begins “western” style, following John Carter down a busy street as he is being mysteriously followed. Shortly after, he mysteriously dies, leaving behind a large estate and personal journal for his dearest nephew to read. In the journal, John Carter begins to share his story about how he was transported to Mars (aka Barsoom)and ultimately ended up fighting for the freedom of the Red Men of Helium. Along the way, he meets the Helium Princess, Dejah, and is joined by alien Thark, Sola.
Based on “A Princess of Mars,” by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter is a captivating movie that fills the entire audience with energy. For the first time in awhile, I actually heard the entire theater laughing at things. The subtle bits of humor that were throughout the script were surprising and wonderfully done. Loyal “Martian dog” Woola, who follows John Carter around Mars very, very quickly, provided many moments of entertainment. (Trust me, you’ll love Woola.)
If you like action, then you’ll love John Carter. It has several exciting fight scenes, ranging from John Carter vs. hundreds of Tharks, to John Carter vs. two giant white gorillas, to John Carter and the people of Helium vs. the Red Men of Zodanga. There are lasers, hand to hand fighting, and all around great action sequences that are nothing short of thrilling.
Aside from the great scenery and animation, the actors were excellent. Taylor Kitsch does an excellent job of portraying a strong but complex former soldier while Lynn Collins displays strength, beauty, and brains. I loved Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, the Jeddak (aka king) of the Tharks as he was both fierce and compassionate with a hint of humor kicked in.
Overall, I found John Carter to be thoroughly entertaining and recommend it as a great family movie night option. It is definitely a sci-fi action “flick” (which is kind of a given since a movie about a man on Mars) but the story-line, acting, and bits of humor make it great for everyone. John Carter opens in theaters TODAY, March 9, 2012 and is rated PG-13.
P.S. The PG-13 is for “intense sequences of violence and action.” Most of the fighting is swordplay and the “blood” is blue alien blood, so it isn’t bloody or gory in my opinion. For example, in a scene where someone’s head gets chopped off, you only see the shadow of the head flying – no blood or chopping is shown.
The Official John Carter Trailer
John Carter Online
Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did attend a free advanced screening of the film for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.
Dan O. says
March 11, 2012 at 12:09 amGood review. Kitsch could have definitely been a little bit more charismatic but the flick still works due to amazing special effects and some really fun and exciting action. Sad thing is that this flick was made for $250 million and won’t make any of it back. Not a must-see by any means but still a good one to check out for the fun of it. Check out my review when you get the chance.