Sunday, March 4, 2012

JOHN CARTER ★ ★ ★ ★1/2

A ONE HUNDRED YEAR OLD HERO, BORN AGAIN









So who is ‘John Carter’??? From the film trailer, he seemed to be a very handsome, shirtless guy, leaping around amongst four armed creatures on Mars. 
‘John Carter’ is Edgar Rice Burroughs—the Tarzan author’s—literary hero, who sprung from a serialised 1912 story entitled “Under the Moons of Mars”, which was later published in 1917 as the novel, “A Princess of Mars”
Over the decades, Burroughs continued to write many popular books and serials on the adventures of ‘John Carter’ on Barsoom—Mars’ fictional name.
Science fiction writers Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury have all credited ‘John Carter’ as inspiration for their own work.  James Cameron cited the ‘John Carter’ books as an influence on his epic science-fiction film, AVATAR, whilst George Lucas credits ‘Carter’ with inspiring the STAR WARS movies. The list of fans goes on, including Carl Sagan, Michael Crichton and more. 
So on ‘John Carter’s’ one hundredth anniversary, Disney Studios has decided to treat us, for the price of a movie ticket, with a trip to Mars to rediscover ‘John Carter’ in the technological age of green screen, CGI and 3D.
If you have seen the trailers, you could think that this film could go either way.  It could be truly amazing or a corny disappointment.  My verdict: “Amazing”.
You need to see it. You need to take your kids—over eight I’d say.  You need to take your other half and prepare yourself to see a movie that will become a favourite.  You will want to own the DVD.  You may even want to build a home theatre so you can watch it over and over again on a big screen, as it is meant to be seen. YES, I think it's that good.
JOHN CARTER is set in the civil war period and told in flashback via his own journal given to his nephew upon his death.  Our hero, John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is war and world weary.  Despite being a strong fighter, he wants no part of the war. He wants instead to find a rumoured cave of gold.  When he finds the cave he also finds a portal to another world—Barsoom (Mars).  And wouldn’t you know it; there is a ten thousand year old civil war on Barsoom too.  This guy just can’t catch a break
With the powers that John inherits, due to the difference in atmosphere, he becomes a much desired ally by all factions.  He is captured by the Tharks, four armed, tusked creatures, who are hoping the humanoid inhabitants of Barsoom will kill off each other and leave them alone.  Eventually he wins the respect of their leader, Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe). 
Meanwhile, the Zodangans, lead by Sab Than (Dominic West), battle with the Heliumites, whose beautiful Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) strives to find a solution that will end the fighting and save her beloved planet.  This comes in the form of a planned marriage to Sab Than, the enemy.   But, like all good Warrior Princesses, Dejah Thoris will not go quietly.  Don't worry if you can't get your head around the unwieldy names. You have one hundred and thirty-two minutes in which to become familiarised.  The story is an action packed adventure, with a quest thrown in, as John Carter tries to find a way home to Earth.  Once Dejah Thoris meets John Carter, well let’s just say, planets collide. 
The one thing that sets JOHN CARTER apart from other fantasy adventures is that the story and the visuals are extremely believable. This is very much due to the vision of its Oscar Winning Director, Andrew Stanton, who also co-wrote the screenplay along with Michael Chabon, and Mark Andrews.  Stanton helped establish Pixar as one of the world's leading animation studios as the designer and writer on the TOY STORY films, A BUG’S LIFE, FINDING NEMO AND WALL-E.
Stanton says, “JOHN CARTER is a big, epic, sci-fi action-adventure with romance and action and political intrigue and because the subject matter was written so long ago, it became the origin of those kinds of stories in the last century
It was difficult to go back into this book and not look like you were being derivative of everything else because it’s been an inspiration for one hundred years.
So Stanton and his team approached the film with a clear mandate.   “I want you to believe that these really are the laws of nature and the rules of reality on another planet,” says Stanton.  “I want the audience to accept Barsoom in the same way you might visit a foreign land in our world and not know anything about its cultures or its flora and fauna and yet, for as fantastical as it can be, you accept it because you know the place really exists somewhere.''
And real it does feel.  JOHN CARTER is a movie like no other. It crosses almost every genre, combining them to take audiences on an exciting ride. The reasonably unknown leads are not only gorgeous to behold but hold their own amongst the technology and animation. 
But it’s the story and the characters that are the true stars here.  One hundred years later, these characters will capture your imagination as they did previous generations.  Don’t be surprised if you find yourself looking towards the night sky and wondering, did Edgar Rice Burroughs write fantasy or fact.

8 comments:

  1. Wonderful review and I'm so glad you included the history of the John Carter character. I love this movie and it's nice to see someone else recognize how it inspired so many other great works of the last 100 years.

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to visit and read. I would love to put even more information about the background of John Carter but I think the limit of a good review is around 800 words. LOL. I think it is one of the best movies and I will be buying the DVD...and I rarely do that.
      In fact, I am seeing it again soon with my family. So glad that you loved it and at least we all know the truth...its the orginal...the rest good copies.

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  2. You wrote a wonderful review here. It is good to see someone that has an understanding of the history behind the film and therefore knows why some elements of it are familiar. John Carter is no copy, it is the original work brought to screen at last. I find this film amazing as well and plan to add it to my DVD collection. I heard that the director had planned this to be part one of a trilogy based on the original series of books. I would dearly love to see those other two films made. One can hope, no?

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind comments. Yes, I was very surprised at some of the scathing reviews. Admittedly, I have never read the books nor did I know the history until the movie.
      However, I did what all good reviewers should do and that is read the Production Notes we are sent. They were fascinating.
      So, when I see quite respected reviewers comment that it is just a copy of Star Wars and Avatar, I laugh, thinking you really haven't bothered to do a good job, have you. Says more about them than the movie. By the way, check out this fabulous talk by the Director Andrew Stanton on good storytelling http://bit.ly/yYTd3s Thank you so much for visiting and leaving a comment.

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  3. I have to agree whole heartedly. I was impacted by the disastrous marketing campaign and never planned to give John Carter a try in the theatres. I, being a 20 year old who is not a big reader, like so much of the targeted population of this film had no idea who John Carter was/is and how significant the novels it's derives from are.

    I've gone to see the movie twice because I love IMAX 3D experiences and I only finnaly gave the movie a try this Wednesday with only two days remainign before the Hunger Games took over IMAX. I have encouraged over a dozen friends and family to see the film so far and I plan on going again myself to support the film and for my love of everything it has to offer.

    The fact John Carter is on it's way to being the biggest flop over more than saddens me. This is the film I would give up an organ to see more of(such as a sequel or trilogy). I will continue to spread the word. online and in person, of John Carter and plan on buying more movie merchandise than in my entire life combined.

    Thanks for your review, the fans of John Carter are in no way a small amount but are loosing heart with Disney's only caring for the bottom line and abysmal treatment of this movie.

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  4. Josh, I must agree with you on the marketing campaign. Here in Perth, they didn't even run advance previews to create word of mouth. A movie like these really needs that.
    I am disappointed like you that it hasn't done as well as it should. Everyone I know who went to see it, loved it. Thank you for stopping and leaving a comment and good on you for spreading the word.
    I am off to see it with my family for a second time in the next few weeks. :)

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  5. GREAT review!!! Hopefully the film will be more successful in its DVD release; I hate it that this great movie - the best of the year as far as I'm concerned - was tagged as a flop before it was even released and was unable to shake that label despite strongly positive word-of-mouth.

    http://bardofthelesserboulevards.yolasite.com/blog/i-don-t-care-what-anyone-says-i-liked-john-carter-

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  6. Hi John,
    Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. Yes, we had a press embargo on John Carter, so I wrote my glowing review and waiting for the embargo lift date to see all the glowing comments on Twitter. I was shocked how badly it was bagged. I loved it and I am buying the DVD which is a rarity. My kids loved it too and they are the toughest critics I know. Disney's next release 'Brave', which I just saw last night is fabulous and will do well. So they will make their money back. LOL.

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