Past Review--Catching Up

Movie Review—John Carter

Directed by: Andrew Stanton

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, and Willem Dafoe

Good Movie, Glad to Have Seen It (4  out of 5)

This month’s movie review belongs to the film John Carter

 An action film for adults and teens

John Carter, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch, is from Virginia. He is also a Civil War veteran who somehow miraculously finds himself transported from a gold mine in Virginia to Mars. Here, he finds himself surrounded by 12-foot green barbarians, the Tharks that he can leap over in a single bound and knock out with a single punch. Yet he gives himself up to one of their leaders, Tars Tarkas, played by Willem Dafoe, who finds this strange being’s powers useful. John Carter soon plans his escape and a princess from another part of the planet, Dejah Thoris, represented by Lynn Collins, lands in his arms, in need of immediate saving and in need of a savior. These two communities are frequently at odds and have little use for each other. The Tharks do not fly and have some of their own situations, as Tars Tarkas and his daughter Sola, performed by Samantha Morton, are at odds. Dejah and her people are from Helium, one of the last free cities on Mars, and flying vehicles are their means of travel. That is just one of the many differences in addition to the political upheaval of these and other communities of the planet. John, Dejah, and Sola end up as a team in search for a means to save Helium and along the way discover a source for John’s unique abilities. Furthermore, there is another race who time-travels and shape-shifts that are manipulating all of these beings.

Action and adventure abound in this film through the direction of Andrew Stanton. The film is also shown in the 3-D venue. The computer graphics and alien design is well done as emotions and attitudes come through clearly. The one drawback is the storyline; it is choppy and unclear in some areas, especially the significance of this manipulative race. The love story evolves on cue as John Carter fights to return from one existence to another to be with the one he loves. This was an enjoyable film and the action moved throughout each era.