Review - John Carter (2012)

          Hey guys, Chuck here. John Carter was a 2012 Disney sci-fi movie directed by Andrew Stanton and based on the John Carter of Mars stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs. 

        The movie establishes that on Mars, known by the planet's inhabitants as Barsoom, there has been a civil war raging between two cities: Zodanga, which is constantly on the move and leeching the planet of its life energy, and Helium, a powerful city that stands as a powerful seat for all of Barsoom. One day, when cornered by the forces of Helium, the Zodangan leader, San Than, is approached by a trio of pale robed beings known as the Holy Therns, who have utilized a power source known as the Ninth Ray, and have harnessed it into a weapon, passing it onto Sab Than to use to defeat his enemies. 

       Meanwhile, on Earth, we meet John Carter, a former Calvary man in the Confederate Army, who is searching for a fortune in gold, and is nabbed by a Union colonel named Powell, who seeks Carter's help,.but Carter declines. After escaping, Carter finds the cave he's searching for, and he accidentally shoots a frightened Thern, who activates the transport sequence on his medallion, sending Carter to Mars. It's here where he learns that he can leap higher due to his bone density compared to the lower gravity on the planet, and he meets Tars Tarkas, who leads a race known as the Tharks. 

       Tars, along with his fellow Tharks like Tal Hajus, takes Carter along with the Thark hatchlings back to the Thark village, where a kindhearted Thark named Sola, who is Tars' daughter, gives Carter a hallucinogenic drink that allows his brain to translate the languages of Mars in a way he can understand. The next morning, after Sola is punished for Carter attempting an escape in the night, the Tharks are forced to hide when a mix of airships from Helium and Zodanga arrive. One of the Helium crew nearly falls, and it's revealed to be Dejah Thoris, daughter of Helium leader Tardos Mors, which makes Dejah a princess. Carter saves her, and helps fight off the forces of Zodanga, leading to a face-to-face between Carter and Sab Than. 

        Hoping to find answers behind Carter being on Mars, he and Dejah head to a sacred cave, which holds pictographs of a distant river that can provide more answers for Carter and Dejah. Initially, Tars is angry, but allows the two of them to leave, on the condition they take Sola with them. Also along for the journey to the river is a dog-like creature called Woola, who is completely loyal to Carter now. Unfortunately, Dejah isn't taking them to the river, but to Helium. And, it's revealed that her father had previously accepted a wedding proposal between Dejah and Sab Than, but she ran off as she couldn't marry him. Finally convinced, she agrees to take Carter to the river. 

        Upon arrival, Carter and Dejah row to their destination, where they learn that the Therns have been using Ninth Ray technology for years, gave the power to Zodanga, and Carter is, indeed, from Earth, having been copied to Mars. A more dangerous group of Green Martians hailing from a village called Warhoon show up to attack Carter and co., but he fends them off, only to be saved by a Helium ship. And, unfortunately, Sab Than is there with Tardos Mors  along with his top soldier Kantos Kan. Dejah finally agrees to marry Sab Than is Carter is unharmed, and all parties end up in Zodanga. 

          Initially working with Kantos to reach Dejah, Carter learns of the transport sequence code to use the Thern medallion to return to Earth. However, he stays behind and meets the Thern leader Matai Shang. Shang reveals that the Therns do not cause the deaths of worlds, but merely to manipulate the civilizations of said worlds to destroy it themselves, and they intend to repeat their work on Earth is Mars is finished. Carter nabs the medallion, and reunites with Woola and Sola, and the three return to seek help from the Tharks. Unfortunately, Tal Hajus is in charge, having overthrown Tars, and Carter is taken to a cell with Tars. Soo, the two enter an arena, where they must face a against giant creatures called White Apes. Tars and Carter, with Sola's help, defeat the White Apes, and Carter claims the Rite of Challenge to take leadership from Tal Hajus. When the Tharks stand behind Carter, he easily kills Tal Hajus, and makes a speech of how the Tharks must help Helium defeat Zodanga, lest ALL of Barsoom fall. 

       Unfortunately, Carter and the Tharks arrive to an empty Zodanga, as the wedding is in Helium. So, Carter flies to warn that Zodanga has betrayed Dejah and her father, and has an arms outside the walls of Helium. Sab Than and Carter fight, and Matai Shang attempts to turn the battle to his favor, but to no avail, and Tars and the Tharks arrive to turn the tide. Carter and Dejah get married, and Carter elects to stay on Mars. But, Matai Shang is waiting z and sends a now medallion-less Carter back to Earth. Realizing that the Therns have a presence on Earth as well as on Mars, Carter spends the next ten years looking for a new medallion. Until, when chance has it, he finds what he's looking for. 

       Knowing that the Therns will hunt him on Earth, Carter sends a message to his nephew, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and leaves him the story of his adventures, and how he faked his own death and had his body placed in a tomb that can only open from within, as if his Earth body dies, his Mars body dies as well. Now, something to note is that the movie starts with Edgar reading John's story, and having reached the end, he heads to the tomb and attempts to open it, but remembers that Carter never called him "Edgar," and always called him "Ned." However, much to the shock of both Edgar and an attacking Thern, the tomb is empty. A gunshot is heard, and the Thern drops dead. Carter, it turns out never found a medallion, but has one now thanks to the Thern that's was looking for him. Edgar agrees to act as Carter's protector on Earth, and Carter tells him "Take up a cause. Fall in love. Write a book. It's time I went home." Lying in the tomb, Carter activates toe transport sequence to return him to Mars, ending the movie. 

        John Carter was certainly an interesting film for Disney to say the least. The idea of a sci-fi epic set on Mars is, in and of itself, kinda neat, and having it be based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars was also cool. The performances by Taylor Kitsch as John Carter, Lynn Collins as Dejah Thoris, Dominic West as Sab Than, Ciaran Hinds as Tardos Mors, James Purefoy as Kantos Kan, and Mark Strong as Matai Shang were really good, as was the vocal talent of Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, Samantha Morton as Sola, and Thomas Haden Church as Tal Hajus. The visual design of Mars, the airships, and creatures like the Tharks and the White Apes was also really cool. Also, it was really neat seeing guys like Bryan Cranston as Colonel Powell and Daryl Sabara as Edgar Rice Burroughs. 

      Unfortunately, I think that the biggest downfall of the movie was in its writing, where the screenwriters clearly had issues with pacing, which is also an issue with Stanton's directing. This was Andrew Stanton's first live-action project, and it kinda shows. Also, the marketing campaign was atrocious, with one trailer even using the song "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin for some strange reason. 

      Overall, not one of the best outings for Disney in 2012, but certainly one that's getting more appreciation now that a little over ten years have passed. I'm going to give John Carter a rating of 4/5. 

        Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.