Saw John Carter (of Mars) - it was fun

[smurasaki]

But I'd rather have had a movie about Kantos Kan.  (I don't know what it says when a bit part manages to radiate awesome so much.)

Or a movie in which the female characters actually got character arcs.

Spoiler free review: fun, but check brain at door.

Comments

[skjam]

The broodiness was added to John Carter for the movie, along with the tragic backstory. Book John Carter is much more the gung-ho type from the beginning.

Dejah's science stuff was added for the movie, as were her fighting skills. (She's competent in the book, but very much a princess, not a warrior or scholar.) I am hoping that the science pays off in the sequel if any.

Sola and the mean Green Martian woman both get more to do in the book, where John Carter spends cpmsiderable time with the Tharks learning the Barsoomian language.

In the books, Kantos Kan is Helium's top secret agent, the Red Martian equivalent of James Bond. Yes, he's awesome, there, as is Tars Tarkas. And yes, while John Carter is stuck on Earth (for slightly different reasons), all the surviving characters have adventures on their own, some of which we hear about.

[smurasaki]

How odd, since the broodiness and tragic backstory didn't add anything for me. I think it would've been more fun if he were enthusiastic. Movie makers are weird.

Not surprised to hear Dejah was just a princess in the book. In some ways, it would've been better to keep her that, since this way it was more faux-action girl than real action girl. And the 9th ray stuff never went anywhere. (Though, like you, I hope it pays off in the sequel, if we get one.)

I'm half tempted to read the books just for Kantos Kan.

[skjam]

Warning--he's in them very little, being off doing awesome stuff where John Carter (and the other viewpoint heroes, eventually) can't see him.

One nice thing about Burroughs' books that doesn't show up so much in the adaptations is that while the central hero (Tarzan, John Carter, Carson Napier, etc.) may be the most studly person on the planet, the guest good guy characters are also really cool. Just read "Tarzan the Terrible" a bit ago and while yes, Tarzan is practically the messiah, the first two fellows he meets and befriends are the most heroic members of their respective tribes and do important stuff, Tarzan's son Korak is also pretty amazing (and gets a big damn heroes moment at the end), Jane is cool (she finally gets to show off all the stuff she's learned from Tarzan over the years) and even the local damsel in distress gets a couple of shining moments.

[smurasaki]

He's barely in the movie and he tops the list of reasons I'd see the movie again. (He is the list of reasons I'd see the movie again?)

You're also making Burrough's books sound not bad there. Avoiding "only the hero can be awesome" syndrome isn't a bad start. Besides, I get the impression he's kind of the father of space adventure with the John Carter books. Which alone is enough to make someone who's favorite genre ever is space adventure consider reading them.