John Carter

John Carter

Lost in Our World. Found in Another.

Release Date: Friday, March 9, 2012

Rating: Rated PG-13

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.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Director:

  • Andrew Stanton

Cast:

  • Taylor Kitsch - John Carter
  • Lynn Collins - Dejah Thoris
  • Samantha Morton - Sola
  • Mark Strong - Matai Shang
  • Ciaran Hinds - Tardos Mors
  • Dominic West - Sab Than
  • James Purefoy - Kantos Kahn
  • Daryl Sabara - Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • Polly Walker - Sarkoja
  • Bryan Cranston - Powell
  • Thomas Hayden Church - Tal Hajus
  • Willem Defoe - Tars Tarkas
7.8

Comments

Keven User is offline Music Editor

Keven's picture
9

Despite it's poor pacing at times and there were more than a couple instances of this - I loved the F out of this movie. Plus the flashback/battle scene was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I got choked up during that sequence and it was a bloodbath intercut with absolutely gut-wrenching memories of the past. Brilliant and a perfect ending to wrap the flick up.

Submitted by Keven on March 24, 2012 - 4:12pm.

SeanJ8 User is offline

SeanJ8's picture
8

I enjoyed John Carter much more than I thought I would. And to make sure it was more than just good, I saw it twice this weekend and enjoyed it even a little more. From the beginning, it felt like an old school sci-fi film with comparisons to Star Wars sprinkled throughout. The special effects are some of the best to date and on the same level as Avatar. John Carter's strongest point comes from the core actors, only suffering from a poorly written script at times. And while it takes a while to kick into gear and is by no means close to a masterpiece, the adventure is still worthwhile for anyone who loves sci-fi. Moments of brilliance are shown throughout, wether it be Carter battling with a flashback of his family or the ending that left me more than satisfied. Prince of Persia and Tron: Legacy left me with a sour taste, making care less to see more stories from either. But John Carter ends on such a high note that I can only hope we get a sequel. I'd be more than willing to take the trip back to Barsoom. Only next time, it could possibly be a masterpiece.

Submitted by SeanJ8 on March 10, 2012 - 11:38pm.

Pietro Filipponi User is offline Managing Editor

Pietro Filipponi's picture
6

Wasn't a bad movie by any means, just very generic. Overly simplified and formulaic story doesn't do ERB's stories justice. Overuse of confusing CGI melee battles doesn't help either. Taylor was a solid choice for the lead, though. Lynn Collins was bleak. Mo-cap work was good, but didn't show anything we haven't seen before. Hopefully I'll end up loving it over time like with Tron: Legacy.

Submitted by Pietro Filipponi on March 8, 2012 - 12:10pm.

MarioPrime User is offline Correspondent

MarioPrime's picture
6

There are great moments throughout John Carter, but by the second half they’re very few and very far between. It’s not that there’s anything particularly bad about the film, it’s just that it feels incredibly overworked. The scale is massive, trying to present as large a vision as possible. The result is a mess of action sequences, drama, and b-plots held together by a lazy frame story. There’s enough light fun to warrant a short trip to space, but it’s not a place worth getting lost in.

Submitted by MarioPrime on March 7, 2012 - 8:01am.