John Carter: 100 years in the making

Movie Review: John Carter

It may have taken 100 years but Edgar Rice Burroughs’ popular Barsoom series has hit the big screens in the sci-fi film John Carter. Considered to be the inspiration for box office smashes Avatar, Star Trek and Star Wars it would seem only logical that the novel has finally been re-made into a film.

The film is set during the American Civil War, and a veteran John Carter played by Taylor Kitsch finds himself teleported to Barsoom (Mars) where he is captured by green Martian creatures named Tharks.  Though this planet has a strong resemblance to Earth, Carter is coincidentally caught up in another civil war where the two human-like races, the Heliumites and the Zodangans, are at odds. On Barsoom, Carter develops an ability to leap great distances. Funnily of all super powers Carter could have been given on a distant planet he has this one. Really? Perhaps Burroughs had an off-day conjuring up something.

Simply put, this film would appeal to sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of Burroughs’ series but for someone looking for relief chances are you would find it elsewhere. John Carter has yet another good versus evil theme with a beautiful damsel in distress – in this case Helium’s Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) – and the hero saving the day once more. Carter’s quest can be quite confusing and leave viewers questioning ‘What just happened?’ when glimpses of his past randomly appear and feature characters that had not shown up before being teleported to Barsoom.

Casting for this movie was a disappointment as Kitsch’s performance in the lead role was awfully dull and disengaging. He struggled to bring Carter’s character to life, instead relying on his charm and physical attributes to draw you in. Well at least for the female viewers. The only action he comes close to providing is when he remains silent while wielding his sword in battle scenes. The 3-D element added no spice with visual effects seen countless times before. It could possibly have been money best used attracting a high profile cast to fulfil these roles.

Though the film is littered with one-liners and clichés from Carter and Princess Dejah, the Tharks provide moments of light humour that grab you in time before your eyelids close.

Burroughs’ work may have wowed his audience a century ago; unfortunately it’s not the same today. Although if you are willing to endure two hours with a repeated storyline and average cast then John Carter is your movie.