SYNOPSIS: 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. 

REVIEW: When I first heard of this film I was very skeptical. It seemed outlandish and incohesive. That was after seeing the first preview. Then after seeing the updated preview not too long ago, my opinion almost did a 180. Now after having seen the film, the change in opinion was substantiated. This is no Avatar, but it won’t disappoint either. The commercials are saying that this is the first big blockbuster of the year. I believe it should be but knowing how fickle movie going audiences can be, it’s no guarantee. I definitely enjoyed it. It’s got all the fantasy you could possibly want along with good doses of action and adventure. Arguably the best aspect of this movie is that it is visually dazzling. The cinematography is breath taking and combined with the sharp and excellent special effects we get a visual treat. The filming locations used were appropriate and effective. Another interesting aspect of the movie is how imaginative it is and even how sexy it is too. Yes, the movie is actually sexy. Well, I guess since we’ve got Taylor Kitsch in the lead role as John Carter, and Lynn Collins as the Princess, Dejah Thoris, sexiness becomes a characteristic by default. It’s also interesting that they both worked in the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. They both looked good in that one and they look even better in this one. As far as their performances, they were decent, good enough for this genre. So in case you’re wondering if they carried the movie well considering this is probably the biggest role for each of them, the answer is yes. The cast as a whole was pretty good but this type of movie is more about what’s going on than the performances.

Probably the most difficult aspect of this movie is the convoluted story, or at least at first. It takes a while before the story starts to gel. Some moments of slowness don’t help either but luckily there is much more to turn you on about this movie than what might turn you off. A military captain from the late 1800s inexplicably finds himself on Mars with a mission. I mean sure, you can see how this could be a complicated story. The concept is mind blowing, in a good way. I can’t help but to be reminded of Cowboys and Aliens. Cowboys and Aliens was very enjoyable and even though there are similarities, this one is much more epic. Another positive aspect is that it’s very realistic looking for a sci-fi movie full of alien beings and alien settings. It just reinforces the excellent job done with the special effects. Another excellent job was done by the Director, Andrew Stanton. But then again, you would expect nothing less from the two-time Oscar winner for directing Finding Nemo and WALL-E. This is a “big leap” for him directing his first major live human motion picture and he did great. He probably won’t win an Oscar for it but he will thrill audiences. No need to second guess this choice at the box office next time you go to the movies.

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