Movie Review: John Carter (Of Mars)
Okay, Blockbuster Pre-Season begins today!
First up, John Carter (Of Mars)!
Okay, just WHY did the studio execs feel the need to prune the "...Of Mars" from the title of this movie when the whole damn thing kicks off with a chunk of background - "This is Mars, but to the people there, it's called Barsoom..." and the like. They were apparently afraid of alienating the female part of the audience with the "sci-fi geek factor", or something...
Anyway - back to the actual film. Doubts may arise with those who have at least a passing knowledge of the stories, as the Earth-bound beginnings of the story are laid out, but the origins of Captain John Carter are brought to our attention in semi-flashback, and things continue from there. "Purists" may find fault with heroine Dejah Thoris's conservative costume options, compared to popular depictions of the character, and her "Spock-ification", as "princess who's handy with a sword" becomes "scientist-princess who's handy with a sword, and wears armour", but the feeling will pass, I assure you, and whilst the introduction of the super-powerful Therns as manipulative bad-guys may fly in the face of "A Princess Of Mars", the source material for this movie, they do underpin quite a lot of the story as presented, and not to the detriment of the production.
Liberties aside, the film manages to tick just about all of "the boxes", in presenting a story that's easy to get into for all, and manages to keep the pace going with a sprinkling of "money-shot" effects-heavy sequences. Like Carter's first experience of Barsoom gravity, this movie doesn't leap until it can walk, but when it "goes for it", it's never "run-of-the-mill". The nay-sayers, and there have been plenty, are, I feel, going to have to get their orders of humble pie in pretty quick; the script is solid, the performances are never underwhelming, the non-humans are all depicted in convincing fashion - even the minor irritation of a *grrrrr* conversion to 3D doesn't hold back this particular walking city (you'll very quickly see what I mean)...
The Final Verdict: A highly enjoyable take on the original material, with any liberties taken being too small to detract from the whole. Prep the sequel, gentlemen, and I will be there! 8/10
In Other News... I want to try and complete Sorrow Has The Swiftest Wings before the posting begins, but I should be ready to go tomorrow. If I post this, and get back to work, I may get some solid writing in before CSI New York...
Ooops, guess not.
Update! So, the Redskins have done what could be viewed as a "Ricky Williams" deal for a potential franchise re-energiser. Hey, guys, go for it - what, honestly, do we have to lose...?
First up, John Carter (Of Mars)!
Okay, just WHY did the studio execs feel the need to prune the "...Of Mars" from the title of this movie when the whole damn thing kicks off with a chunk of background - "This is Mars, but to the people there, it's called Barsoom..." and the like. They were apparently afraid of alienating the female part of the audience with the "sci-fi geek factor", or something...
Anyway - back to the actual film. Doubts may arise with those who have at least a passing knowledge of the stories, as the Earth-bound beginnings of the story are laid out, but the origins of Captain John Carter are brought to our attention in semi-flashback, and things continue from there. "Purists" may find fault with heroine Dejah Thoris's conservative costume options, compared to popular depictions of the character, and her "Spock-ification", as "princess who's handy with a sword" becomes "scientist-princess who's handy with a sword, and wears armour", but the feeling will pass, I assure you, and whilst the introduction of the super-powerful Therns as manipulative bad-guys may fly in the face of "A Princess Of Mars", the source material for this movie, they do underpin quite a lot of the story as presented, and not to the detriment of the production.
Liberties aside, the film manages to tick just about all of "the boxes", in presenting a story that's easy to get into for all, and manages to keep the pace going with a sprinkling of "money-shot" effects-heavy sequences. Like Carter's first experience of Barsoom gravity, this movie doesn't leap until it can walk, but when it "goes for it", it's never "run-of-the-mill". The nay-sayers, and there have been plenty, are, I feel, going to have to get their orders of humble pie in pretty quick; the script is solid, the performances are never underwhelming, the non-humans are all depicted in convincing fashion - even the minor irritation of a *grrrrr* conversion to 3D doesn't hold back this particular walking city (you'll very quickly see what I mean)...
The Final Verdict: A highly enjoyable take on the original material, with any liberties taken being too small to detract from the whole. Prep the sequel, gentlemen, and I will be there! 8/10
In Other News... I want to try and complete Sorrow Has The Swiftest Wings before the posting begins, but I should be ready to go tomorrow. If I post this, and get back to work, I may get some solid writing in before CSI New York...
Ooops, guess not.
Update! So, the Redskins have done what could be viewed as a "Ricky Williams" deal for a potential franchise re-energiser. Hey, guys, go for it - what, honestly, do we have to lose...?