'John Carter' - What Did You Think?
It's the big weekend for Disney, and Pixar director Andrew Stanton, as Stanton's live-action adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel A Princess of Mars finally hits theaters. John Carter is a film that has been many, many years in development, and finally sees life thanks to Stanton's interest in the story. Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong and more make up the cast of the film, which follows a Civil War vet (Kitsch) who is transported to Mars, where he meets a smokin' hot princess (Collins) and is drawn into an alien civil strife.
In our review of the film, Angie praised the loving care devoted to realizing the film's world, even as she was less than impressed with the overall narrative structure and central character. But enough about our thoughts, and enough about Disney's marketing of the movie, plans for sequels, or past versions that never came to be. Let's talk about the John Carter that we have here and now — hit the jump to voice your thoughts on the film, and go into the discussion knowing that spoilers lie ahead.
Due to recent travel, I haven't yet been able to see John Carter, so I can't offer any thoughts specific to the film. I'm impressed by the scope of material that Stanton has attempted to tackle, and knowing some of the Burroughs novels that inspired the film, I can see how the narrative structure might be too ambitious. This is the sort of film that I love seeing realized, but in the end having an original sci-fi story on movie screens is only a great thing if the movie really works.
So take a look at the most recent trailer if you need any reminders about the film, and leave thoughts on the success or failure of John Carter below.