John Carter

From Academy Award(R)-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes "John Carter"--a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). "John Carter" is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Review:

The movie starts off with John Carter, a Renegade Virginian Civil War veteran in the 1800s. He tries to evade enlistment in another war yet again. While on the run, he hides out in a cave in Arizona and mysteriously finds himself transported to Mars (Barsoom), where he finds himself caught in war between the Zodangans and the Heliumites.

The storyline is simple: a mysterious group of beings called the Therns manipulate Barsoom's inhabitants into inevitable destruction with no particular reason but because it is something like their job. For beings that are immortal and all powerful (shooting out blasts of energy that can destroy), it is a little ridiculous that they are susceptible to gunshots and can die from them too. 

Which is how John Carter ends up in Barsoom, he accidentally encounters a Thern in the cave kills it/him and gets transported to Barsoom where he is picked up by the Tharks. The Tharks are an alien race with green skin, four arms, nine-foot tall bodies and faces with tusks. John Carter finds out that the difference in gravitational pull on Barsoom gives him superhuman strength and great jumping ability which comes into play later on in the movie. He reluctantly becomes a Thark warrior and interferes in an aerial battle between Zodanga and Helium warships to save Dejah, the Helium princess. 

Upon learning of John Carter's special abilities, Dejah tries to recruit him to fight her cause (so she does not have to marry the enemy) and save her people. He is reluctant initially but finally comes round and he saves the day (as with all Disney productions). He even marries the princess. It was an interesting movie and could have been more, but the too open ending was well, too open and I did not like the ending.

However, for a Disney production it is a pretty ok show to watch to pass the time and it did have it's cute, as well as touching moments. But it was not something I enjoyed that much, the ending was too open-ended for my liking, like there was not enough closure.

If you have watched it, what are your views on the movie? Do tell =)