Yes, some parts are predictable, but there are also some parts that you might not expect. While this movie might not be everyone's cup of tea, it does offer something a bit different in place of what could have been a rather paint-by-the-numbers affair. The thought and effort that has gone into designing/creating the creatures, the ships, the costumes, etc is fully on display on the screen. The effects on display are as dazzling as Dejah's blue eyes. Given the running time, you wouldn't think things would need to be like this, but it seems the makers realised their movie was reaching the limit of its runtime and there was still some stuff left to address at the last minute. The film feels like it kind of rushes things a bit towards the end, as it has to wrap up stuff. There's a lot of names of things to keep track of, as well as some twists and turns here and there. The story is not exactly easy to follow if you aren't paying attention. Mark Strong, meanwhile, continues to be the go-to guy for playing a villain. Although it's not a big role, he manages to make the most of it and is easily likable, as well as amusing at times. Also good is James Purefoy as Kantos Kan. Kitsch and Collins play off each other very well, sharing both humorous and touching moments between them. She's equal parts scientist and action heroine. She's certainly the prettiest thing on Mars, but she's also very smart, as well as able to handle herself in a fight. He is well-paired with Lynn Collins, who manages to make Dejah actually very human (like when she's nervous about the presentation she's about to give when we first meet her in the city-state of Helium.though, oddly enough, nobody there speaks with funny high-pitched voices like you'd expect). His reactions to the bizarre situations, customs, etc that he finds himself having to deal with are pretty good. Kitsch fits the role of the long-haired hero well (although he is saddled with some rather dodgy dialogue at times). As John Carter and Dejah Thoris, Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins reunite (after the rather ho-hum affair that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine). Eventually he meets the Princess of Mars herself, Dejah Thoris, after having rescued her (it's what he does). Carter also finds an ally in Sola (Samantha Morton). At one point he comes to the rescue of an alien dog named Woola, who is extremely loyal/fast and becomes his constant companion. Subtitles are used up until Carter is eventually able to understand the Tharks and we hear them speaking in English. Some Tharks discover him, the least hostile of which is one named Tars Tarkas (voiced by Willem Dafoe), who winds up thinking Carter's name is Virigina due to miscommunication. We even get a montage devoted to him discovering as much. Thanks to the lower gravity of Mars, Carter has enhanced strength and can leap great distances. Things don't really get interesting until Carter's transported to Mars, which is known as Barsoom by the inhabitants there, who are 9 to 15 foot tall four-armed green aliens with tusks called Tharks. Proceedings are rather slow-going in the beginning of the film, although it's necessary set-up for what's to come. The man in question is John Carter from Virginia, ex-Civil War soldier who lost his family and is now gold prospecting. Originally going to be titled John Carter of Mars, the movie apparently dropped the 'of Mars' to "make it more appealing to a broader audience" and this film is supposed to be the origin story "about a guy *becoming* John Carter of Mars" - this probably explains why we finally get the originally-intended title of 'John Carter of Mars' at the very end. Not a movie about Noah Wyle's character from the show ER, but rather one based on a book I've never read titled A Princess of Mars.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |