John Carter
Or...The Princess of Mars
When John Carter accidentally discovers a hidden cave of mysterious carvings, among other things, he is accidentally transported to Mars where the natives are 12 feet tall, tusked and heavily armed (ha ha, pun intended...ya know, cause the natives have four arms. Well, anyway...) On Mars Carter will have to decide whether helping to save the planet is a cause he's willing to fight for and if love is a cause worth staying for.
Critics hated this movie partially because it was slow at times. Well heaven forbid an adventure movie would pause now and then to develop some plot! I appreciated the build up of plot line, characters and relationships while still entertaining us with some great battles, funny looking aliens, comedic relief now and then and a good dose of Carter flying around having fun with Mars' lighter dose of gravity. It's not Star Wars and it's not going to change your life but this is a really fun movie worth seeing in theaters and not even close to as bad as critics have made it out to be...but please do read the Motherly Advice below before taking your teens.
Motherly Advice: If some PG-13 violence doesn't bother you, the worst of it being the sight of Carter having just cut his way out from a blue blooded beast's insides, then what you'll want to be aware of is the costumes. Be warned, all of the human looking Martians wear very little clothing. Is it the heat? Or are they afraid that their red tattoos will smear at the feel of cloth? Who knows? But the Princess spends the entire movie wearing costumes that cover the equivalent of what a 'modest' bikini would cover with some columns of cloth hanging around here and there. The cleavage is minimal and the rear end is completely covered but the midriff, shoulders and majority of legs are there for the world to see. Likewise, Carter spends the majority of the film shirtless. Mars IS pretty close to the sun I guess. There's no sex, only seeing the Princess getting up out of bed with the covers around her (after her wedding). Anyway, there's the info, you be the judge on this one.
Danielle'- Movie Mom of Earth
P.S. Anyone else find it interesting that the title of this book is 'The Princess of Mars' and they changed the movie title to John Carter? I'm thinking a John Carter title appeals better to male audiences and so would likely be more successful at the box office. Interesting how marketing works.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action; 132 min; Directed by Andrew Stanton
John Carter
Disney presents a retelling of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s science fiction classic that inspired generations of storytellers and filmmakers. Based on the 1917 novel, A Princess of Mars, John Carter tells the tale of a Virginia cavalryman mysteriously transported to Mars to find a planet at war and a beautiful princess, Dejah Thoris, in need of a hero to save her people. John, endowed with increased strength and agility, struggles to find his purpose and his heart on an alien world, while Dejah’s enemies plot the fall of her beloved city, Helium.
ClearPlay In Action!
John Carter contains about fifteen profanities, most of the mild variety. ClearPlay trims a few violent spots, including an amputation or two. There’s no sex, though Dejah’s outfits are on the revealing side. Filtered, John Carter is a great adventure for the family.
Is John Carter Worth a Trip to Mars?…
John Carter took me back to my youth when I fell in love with the likes of Star Wars and Indiana Jones because they were about wonder and adventure and romance. The critics tended to dog on this movie for some unfathomable reason, but I found it fun and engaging. The best compliment I can give to a movie is that it transported me somewhere else and made me forget real life for a while. John Carter did that for me. Beautiful effects. Fun characters. Plenty of action. Give it a go! Then read the book. Or the other way round.
Brian Fuller—A Thern ClearPlay Reviewer
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action; 132 min; Directed by Andrew Stanton