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JOHN CARTER (OF MARS!) |OT| (dir. Andrew Stanton)
- Thread starter SCULLIBUNDO
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fizzelopeguss
Banned
Just watched it, i really enjoyed it. The dog monster and green dudes were amazing.
The dialogue is a bit self masturbatory for what is essentially a kids film, as someone going into it with zero prior knowledge of the backstory it was downright unintelligible at times.
The dialogue is a bit self masturbatory for what is essentially a kids film, as someone going into it with zero prior knowledge of the backstory it was downright unintelligible at times.
Discotheque
Banned
Yeah I totally geeked out when I saw Marc Antony and Caesar in the same scene. And as his right hand nonetheless.
Stanton is clearly a Rome fan if you look at the imdb on this movie.
Stanton is clearly a Rome fan if you look at the imdb on this movie.
GODDAMMIT!!!!!! There's never going to be a sequel. Why did I do this to myself? Whhhyyyyyyy?
This film gave me the same feeling that Dark Crystal did when I was 7, albeit somewhat muted because I'm now an old man and will likely not pray in a bed wishing a doorway would open up in my closet to sweep me away to Kira/Dejah's loving arms, but I had that sort of feeling.
Nevermind... That was the best, most gratifying flop that ever was and will ever will be unless anyone with an ounce of hindsight has the balls to pilot anything of this potential in the future.
At least Prince of Persia, which really sucked, will suffer the same fate.
Och Ohem, Ochtey, Wheis...GO PANTHERS!
This film gave me the same feeling that Dark Crystal did when I was 7, albeit somewhat muted because I'm now an old man and will likely not pray in a bed wishing a doorway would open up in my closet to sweep me away to Kira/Dejah's loving arms, but I had that sort of feeling.
Nevermind... That was the best, most gratifying flop that ever was and will ever will be unless anyone with an ounce of hindsight has the balls to pilot anything of this potential in the future.
At least Prince of Persia, which really sucked, will suffer the same fate.
Och Ohem, Ochtey, Wheis...GO PANTHERS!
The Elite
BOSS
Yeah, if we don't get anymore that is seriously going to suck. I'm ready to read the books as soon as I'm finished with A Dance with Dragons.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Read A Princess of Mars and stop.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Considering going to see this movie this weekend at the bargain theater. Agreed that the Blu-Ray commercials have been much better.
RobotNinjaHornets
Banned
This was a good film. People who disagree are stupid.
:c
:c
Watched the movie last night, just some observations.
- Chick who played Dejah Thoris is crazy beautiful in this movie. wow.
- Dont get the raving about Giachinno's score. It was good but it wasn't Speed Racer or even Star Trek good IMO. Maybe I should listen to it on its again though.
- Its overall an entertaining adventure but the narrative and how its delivered is definitely undercooked.
- Thought the Tharks looked laughable originally, but they work in the movie (though oddly the first ever finished revealed Thark footage from the original trailer is a deleted scene). As a matter of fact I enjoyed all the characters really. Woola!
- John Carters vs The thern's Tharks. Dat Genocide!
Other than that, yeah I enjoyed it, but the one thing I wish the movie did was spend more time on actually establishing Barsoom and better showcasing the worldview, and more time spent on developing Dejah Thoris and John Carter together.
- Chick who played Dejah Thoris is crazy beautiful in this movie. wow.
- Dont get the raving about Giachinno's score. It was good but it wasn't Speed Racer or even Star Trek good IMO. Maybe I should listen to it on its again though.
- Its overall an entertaining adventure but the narrative and how its delivered is definitely undercooked.
- Thought the Tharks looked laughable originally, but they work in the movie (though oddly the first ever finished revealed Thark footage from the original trailer is a deleted scene). As a matter of fact I enjoyed all the characters really. Woola!
- John Carters vs The thern's Tharks. Dat Genocide!
Other than that, yeah I enjoyed it, but the one thing I wish the movie did was spend more time on actually establishing Barsoom and better showcasing the worldview, and more time spent on developing Dejah Thoris and John Carter together.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
For me it's easily the best score he's done since Ratatouille.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Also can't believe they never released Dejah's theme on the OST.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWb6K6ZZAbw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWb6K6ZZAbw
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Just got back from seeing this at the bargain theater in 3D. I thought it was solid but not great. 3D didn't add much for me, but I'm generally not a fan anyway. The action was solid and I even thought that the special effects were good. The movie definitely has a look that is all its own.
I agree that they should have taken more time establishing Mars and the relationship between John Carter and Dejah. Both would have helped in the overall development of the film and making the audience care more about what was going on.
It's a shame about the marketing on this film, as it really didn't do the film justice. I don't think it was ever had a chance of being a blockbuster however, although it deserved better than it got.
I agree that they should have taken more time establishing Mars and the relationship between John Carter and Dejah. Both would have helped in the overall development of the film and making the audience care more about what was going on.
It's a shame about the marketing on this film, as it really didn't do the film justice. I don't think it was ever had a chance of being a blockbuster however, although it deserved better than it got.
I watched the movie the other night and really paid attention to the score. It doesn't have one specific memorable theme, but the overall package is really nice. It's very reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia with his own style, which I liked. The music really helped with the Thark slaughter sequence.
Discotheque
Banned
Great track but I swear to God I've heard variations of this in Lost multiple times. That's the problem with Giacchinno, his stuff comes out too similar sometimes.
But yeah definitely his best score since Ratatouille. I love the Lawrence of Arabia vibe from it.
This really made me want him on Superman since this is basically a superman film.
You didn't like the ending? Going in and knowing there wasn't going to be a sequel, I was extremely content with the way they ended it. He went back to Dejah. In the books, a a lot of other stuff happens and things get hairy, but they ended it on a good note for the movie. It's certainly better than the sequel bait shit in Battleship. But fuck that movie anyway.
I watched this on rental from Netflix last night. It was ok, but I lost interest a little bit into the movie and picked up a bit later in. Their are some issues with pacing but overall it was a solid 3/5 for me. I would watch a sequel if they make one. The action was decent and all, but I didn't find myself actually caring for many of the characters I was supposed to care for, especially John Carter since he was only a copy of the John Carter on Earth. When they put that plot device into the story I just went back on my other experience with Sci-Fi where other copies don't retain the memories of the originals and vice versa and I didn't care as much anymore. I know the earth John Carter can remember the events that happened to the Mars John Carter in this story but it's still a bit disconnected from other clone stories we've had over the years. It is interesting that John Carter would choose the life of his clone over the one he had on earth, but I guess that is the point of it all.
No, I liked it. It had some finality. I just want more of it. I'd of liked it more if there was a reunion scene. 10 years is a long time.
I'll read the books though. At least there's that.
His consciousness is transferred between the two bodies. That's why he couldn't let the Therns kill the body on Earth. They weren't clones so much as just duplicate vessels. It's expanded upon a lot more in the books. I sort of wish they had just left it out because it brings up confusion and unneeded explanation.
The one thing I wish they played up more was how he was a man that had nothing more to live for on Earth and had an attachment to Mars because he had a purpose there. They seemed to really gloss over that and it sort of felt like he married Dejah just because that's what the story called for.
My math skills fail me, but I don't think it was as long on Mars as it was on Earth. He was gone for Earth years during the short time he was on Mars. So it's conceivable he was only gone for a short amount of time in Martian time.
Yeah that goes back to my main complaint. The movie doesn't do enough establishing of all the quirks of the books worldview. The movie would have definitely benefit from being a bit longer IMO, 140-150 minutes. This type of story calls for it.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
So I watched it, Good Lord was this movie boring
No wonder no one went to see it, it could have Mars in it's title and still wouldn't have done shit
The main lead is just like Sam Worthington, dead as wood with his emotions
The story was all over the place
Love how in the ending they just go "Oh bad guy got away, oh wells time to smang and worry about that in the sequel... LOL"
You know your main lead sucks when the dog gives better emotions/feelings of the situation
That huge battle he has with those bad green things, the dog stood out as being the hero than JC did
Also so many weird terms to pick up on, after a hour and half in, I felt completely lost as to to what this movie is all about
So JC gets transported to Mars, thinks he has "super powers", gets tribal met, meets princess, learns back story, tryue to play I want to go home/not my shit to deal with, gets a little attached, still hating on his love, gets the balls to become what he was supposed to be (a suicidal genocidal maniac killer), falls in live and wants to stay
Good God, movie was horrible
God Damn Sculli, hope Disney paid for your shilling seriously, cause this movie was atrocious
Also Wall-E shits all over this, at least I had emotions at parts of the movie that tried to evoke them, the movie had it moments and was enjoyable, JC was garbage
This isn't even cult classic like Speed Racer for the visuals and style, this was a fucking bore fest
Movie got one laugh out of me and was the smack upside the head by the chief when JC takes them to the wrong place thinking wedding taking place there
No wonder no one went to see it, it could have Mars in it's title and still wouldn't have done shit
The main lead is just like Sam Worthington, dead as wood with his emotions
The story was all over the place
Love how in the ending they just go "Oh bad guy got away, oh wells time to smang and worry about that in the sequel... LOL"
You know your main lead sucks when the dog gives better emotions/feelings of the situation
That huge battle he has with those bad green things, the dog stood out as being the hero than JC did
Also so many weird terms to pick up on, after a hour and half in, I felt completely lost as to to what this movie is all about
So JC gets transported to Mars, thinks he has "super powers", gets tribal met, meets princess, learns back story, tryue to play I want to go home/not my shit to deal with, gets a little attached, still hating on his love, gets the balls to become what he was supposed to be (a suicidal genocidal maniac killer), falls in live and wants to stay
Good God, movie was horrible
God Damn Sculli, hope Disney paid for your shilling seriously, cause this movie was atrocious
Also Wall-E shits all over this, at least I had emotions at parts of the movie that tried to evoke them, the movie had it moments and was enjoyable, JC was garbage
This isn't even cult classic like Speed Racer for the visuals and style, this was a fucking bore fest
Movie got one laugh out of me and was the smack upside the head by the chief when JC takes them to the wrong place thinking wedding taking place there
It lacked cheevos :O
I watched it last Tuesday actually. Turned out to really enjoy it.
I like to lead with my complaints normally.
-Kiticsh, he just isn't a strong lead. His wannabe bad-ass voice took some time to get use too.
-The action was always kind of cheesy. It obey this very convenient law of gravity. Sometimes it looked like it was low gravity fighting(final battle between him and main dude), other times it looked super fast.
What I liked.
-The supporting cast is fantastic all around. MC:Girl, Marc Antony and Ceaser, Green Grasshopper, etc. I don't know any of their fucking names, but I liked em.
-Great style. Definitely has the pulp meets modern SciFi
-Well pace and fun to watch.
I would say shame about it bombing, but similar to another Gaf favorite like Speed Racer. I don't want a sequel. I thought the ending was cute and perfect for the film. Do something with your life <3
My wife and I both liked the movie. We say it opening weekend and thought it was a fun, lightweight sci-fi blockbuster type movie. Frankly I was shocked at the frothing hatred that most people seem to have for it. I understand that we all have different tastes and expectations, but I honestly feel like a lot of it is jumping on some popular opinion bandwagon. Typical groupthink that you see with people on the internet.
We saw Prometheus today and really like it as well. Then I hop on NeoGAF to read the discussion and... here we go again.
People who claim John Carter is the worst movie they have ever seen have obviously never seen The Last Airbender.
We saw Prometheus today and really like it as well. Then I hop on NeoGAF to read the discussion and... here we go again.
People who claim John Carter is the worst movie they have ever seen have obviously never seen The Last Airbender.
GraveRobberX
Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Where in my post did I call out others?, your just putting words in my mouth
I called out Sculli due to him beating the drums through the the weekend box office threads going JC is a must see, you won't regret it, it's awesome, /shill
I never called out anyone else
So I didn't like it, others did, cool for them, nothing wrong with that
When one person goes overboard and you call them on their shit, I somehow said that to everyone that liked the movie that they are shills, good job man
That was pretty much how I felt as a sci-fi fan who was experiencing the story for the first time through the movie. Experience with various sci-fi tells us that clones don't retain the memories of the original past the point when they were cloned and vice-versa, so it kind of killed it a bit for me when it was revealed that he was a copy on Mars. Then they showed through the last earth portion of the story that conscious was shared, but by that time I was thinking why should this John Carter care about the other? They never really crossed that path though and went on though as it was a shared consciousness and it shouldn't be explained like the entire audience should catch on.
SCULLIBUNDO
Banned
Disney compensated me very well. Gave me 2 points from the backend profits!
Oh wait
Oh wait
So you don't like Sculli's ecstatic enthusiasm. Yet you are on the opposite side of the spectrum with ecstatic hatred, calling out Sculli for being a plant and a viral marketer. I think you've been paid off by a rival studio to go on messageboards and shit on the movie, beating the drums through the threads about how this is a terrible movie and no one should see it. *sigh*
It's one of those aspects they left in because they were hoping this would be a franchise and it's explained more thoroughly in the later books. The source material was also written long before cloning was even thought of. But it would have been as simple as omitting that throwaway line in the temple and writing around the two body scenario.
The only time he thoroughly got his ass handed to him was by the Therns, who were much more powerful than he was. He was pinned in the ship at one point, but that was because he couldn't use his strength and agility in such a tight spot. But he is much stronger and can run and jump much faster than any of the Martians.
It really is one of the pitfalls of having a potential franchise. Do you explain everything or leave something totally open to explain in later installments? When will they learn that you can explain something in simple terms and save a grander explanation for it later but leave fans satisfied if all you get is one part of a larger story to explain things?
Bitmap Frogs
Mr. Community
After all the discussion and drama I finally got to watch this.
Well, I felt it was a weak movie.
I thought the main guy couldn't sell the role. Too prettyboyish. Princess was OK as well as the secondary cast. I found out most of the stuff in the movie pretty boring and generic/derivative. Particularly I missed any kind of sense of awe and discovery. We're exploring an alien planet along the protagonist and there was never the thrill you get as an example, following Jones into the Venetian sewers or Alexandretta - and these places are on Earth!.
I believe part of the problem is that Stanton's Mars looks way too much like some god-forsaken desert somewhere on Earth. Things needed to be redder and bigger. Where were the massive channels that could be seen from Earth? The massive mountains and volcanoes?
I also think they went overboard with the alien vocabulary. Less Jeddak, more King please.
Oh well.
I'm sad tho... I enjoy sci-fi a lot and watching sci-fi movies flop is always a bad omen. Movie executives don't like flops which means a bunch of interesting sci-fi projects may not get the greenlight.
Well, I felt it was a weak movie.
I thought the main guy couldn't sell the role. Too prettyboyish. Princess was OK as well as the secondary cast. I found out most of the stuff in the movie pretty boring and generic/derivative. Particularly I missed any kind of sense of awe and discovery. We're exploring an alien planet along the protagonist and there was never the thrill you get as an example, following Jones into the Venetian sewers or Alexandretta - and these places are on Earth!.
I believe part of the problem is that Stanton's Mars looks way too much like some god-forsaken desert somewhere on Earth. Things needed to be redder and bigger. Where were the massive channels that could be seen from Earth? The massive mountains and volcanoes?
I also think they went overboard with the alien vocabulary. Less Jeddak, more King please.
Oh well.
I'm sad tho... I enjoy sci-fi a lot and watching sci-fi movies flop is always a bad omen. Movie executives don't like flops which means a bunch of interesting sci-fi projects may not get the greenlight.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
Finally saw it. A complete mess of a movie. Sadly, it starts off terribly. The opening stuff falls absolutely flat and gives off a bad Stargate: The Movie vibe for the mars stuff. The design might be true to the novels, but it felt completely derivative of every other sci-fi movie and there wasn't anything awe-inspiring about the look. Storywise it's busted too. That opening scene confused me, the capture, escape, capture, acceptance of role stuff doesn't fit right either. Honestly, the best edited part of the movie might be the final sequences
. That felt like the time when the movie understood what it was really about and had a purpose. Too bad that this effort was poor enough to squander any chance of coming through with a continuation of what they'd setup.
Also, very reminiscent of Shutter Island is the score that's loud and pounds you over the head from the onset. People complained about Lost that Michael G.'s score was what drove the audience emotion. That's completely wrong. It was a perfect melding between the plotting and acting that made everything a perfect fit. in John Carter of Virginia, we aren't given a reason to care, so when the score gets bombastic, it fails because you just don't care about what you're seeing.
Lynn Collins as Deeja was the only redeeming quality. She actually had emotions and an interesting part in the plot. She acquitted herself better than everyone else involved.
on earth with Edgar/Ned
Also, very reminiscent of Shutter Island is the score that's loud and pounds you over the head from the onset. People complained about Lost that Michael G.'s score was what drove the audience emotion. That's completely wrong. It was a perfect melding between the plotting and acting that made everything a perfect fit. in John Carter of Virginia, we aren't given a reason to care, so when the score gets bombastic, it fails because you just don't care about what you're seeing.
Lynn Collins as Deeja was the only redeeming quality. She actually had emotions and an interesting part in the plot. She acquitted herself better than everyone else involved.
AgentOtaku
Member
Saw this finally when I bought the bluray (son got to see it in the theater and liked it)
Man, really sad this won't be getting the sequel it deserves. Once you get to mars, there's just a fantastic sense of wonder. Only thing wished is that the film looked more like all the artwork over the years and not Nevada most if the time.
Also, I struggle to understand why is film was so expensive
Aw well, guess I'm off To read the book series
Man, really sad this won't be getting the sequel it deserves. Once you get to mars, there's just a fantastic sense of wonder. Only thing wished is that the film looked more like all the artwork over the years and not Nevada most if the time.
Also, I struggle to understand why is film was so expensive
Aw well, guess I'm off To read the book series
Technosteve
Banned
should i rent this for 5 dollars?
actually i think its the best score hes ever done.
You can rent it Tuesday at redbox for 2 bucks. I think it's worth a buy. VOR GINN YAHH!
SpeedingUptoStop
will totally Facebook friend you! *giggle* *LOL*
Are there deleted scenes on the DVD? Perhaps an explanation of where the reshoots may have gone?
likedamaster
Member
Great film. I pirated a bluray version about a month ago. I can't seem to erase it from my hard drive until Tuesday when I can purchase it. Good stuff, can't wait.
Good stuff, can't wait.might want to erase this post dude. can't talk openly about piracy here.
I picked up the soundtrack CD
Damn, I don't know why the score didn't click when I watched the movie, but this shit is REAL good. I need to rewatch it now, lol.
Its a shame the artbook is out of print and is selling for $100+ dollars online
Alternate opening: Dejah Thoris lecture (contents are moved to later in the film)
A couple of scenes of Burroughs at the start of the film including him in a college class
A scene with JC and Tars Tarkas traveling where JC drinks some kind of urine
A short, fully finished, scene where Sola and Dejah meet. This scene was the first revealed Thark footage in the original trailer
A campfire scene during the trip to the river iss (sp?)
Theres 4 other scenes but I havent watched them yet
Damn, I don't know why the score didn't click when I watched the movie, but this shit is REAL good. I need to rewatch it now, lol.
Its a shame the artbook is out of print and is selling for $100+ dollars online
Alternate opening: Dejah Thoris lecture (contents are moved to later in the film)
A couple of scenes of Burroughs at the start of the film including him in a college class
A scene with JC and Tars Tarkas traveling where JC drinks some kind of urine
A short, fully finished, scene where Sola and Dejah meet. This scene was the first revealed Thark footage in the original trailer
A campfire scene during the trip to the river iss (sp?)
Theres 4 other scenes but I havent watched them yet
Darth Pinche
Member
Finally saw this last night, very entertaining and I would have enjoyed a sequel. "Woolah" was awesome, and the Princess was unbelievably gorgeous, while John Carter himself was a little bland. The opening was a bit confusing, with so much going on (who was fighting who?, mysterious white aliens etc) but overall a very good movie.
As has been stated ad nauseum, the marketing killed this. At the end when they show the title with the "of Mars" restored and the very cool original logo, just made the marketing clusterfuck all the more evident. I feel bad for the director, he got shafted by Disney.
As has been stated ad nauseum, the marketing killed this. At the end when they show the title with the "of Mars" restored and the very cool original logo, just made the marketing clusterfuck all the more evident. I feel bad for the director, he got shafted by Disney.
Watched this last weekend and was thoroughly disappointed.
Its not a bad movie, but it strays WAY too far from the first book of the Barsoom series which would have been a fantastic movie in it's own right.
The combination of simple self-insight and stern character that defined John Carter in the books is completely lacking.
Deja Thoris lacks the fierce pride a woman of a warrior race is supposed to have.
The Jedak of Helium is a spineless POS in this while instead being one of the more powerful side characters in the books.
Tars Tarkas is given far too little character development, as is Sola. The Thark social structure is all but completely ignored, when it was one of the most essential aspects of the first book.
The Therns are brought in far too soon and the planetary view of the River Iss is completely shot.
For all those hoping for a sequel, stop. The script for this is basically the first two books ran through a shredder, tossed like a salad, and then taped back together. There is nothing else from the source material to carry the series forward after they've broken all the ties to future series continuity with their rewrite.
John Carter should be a sci-fi Lawrence of Arabia, not another Avatar-esque heavy handed action movie.
Its not a bad movie, but it strays WAY too far from the first book of the Barsoom series which would have been a fantastic movie in it's own right.
The combination of simple self-insight and stern character that defined John Carter in the books is completely lacking.
Deja Thoris lacks the fierce pride a woman of a warrior race is supposed to have.
The Jedak of Helium is a spineless POS in this while instead being one of the more powerful side characters in the books.
Tars Tarkas is given far too little character development, as is Sola. The Thark social structure is all but completely ignored, when it was one of the most essential aspects of the first book.
The Therns are brought in far too soon and the planetary view of the River Iss is completely shot.
For all those hoping for a sequel, stop. The script for this is basically the first two books ran through a shredder, tossed like a salad, and then taped back together. There is nothing else from the source material to carry the series forward after they've broken all the ties to future series continuity with their rewrite.
John Carter should be a sci-fi Lawrence of Arabia, not another Avatar-esque heavy handed action movie.
Darth Pinche
Member
Tars Tarkas: "Your spirit annoys me"
Just kidding, all very good points, I am sure if I was familiar with the books, it would suck more. But standing on its own, the movie was good not great (in my opinion).
Just kidding, all very good points, I am sure if I was familiar with the books, it would suck more. But standing on its own, the movie was good not great (in my opinion).
Bought the blu-ray and watched it tonight for the first time since seeing it in theaters.
I think I love this movie. I enjoyed it even more the second time. I really like the characters in particularly Dejah Toris (sp?). Like Nytiri in Avatar she is the absolute heart and soul of this movie. Sola, Thars Tarkas, Woola also are all cool characters and I like some of the other soliders in Helium, like the guy from Rome (forget his name at the moment).
I found the movie to have greater depth of feeling the second time I saw it and its big emotional beats played really well. I better understood the universe and the different races, names of characters etc.
It is really sad how savaged this movie got in the media because of its budget. It really is a good sci-fi adventure story. It wears its heart on its sleeve and it is quality entertainment. It has been said many times before but Michael Giacchino's score in this movie is just marvelous. I have been humming the main theme since the movie ended. I kind of want to watch it again right now actually haha.
I think I love this movie. I enjoyed it even more the second time. I really like the characters in particularly Dejah Toris (sp?). Like Nytiri in Avatar she is the absolute heart and soul of this movie. Sola, Thars Tarkas, Woola also are all cool characters and I like some of the other soliders in Helium, like the guy from Rome (forget his name at the moment).
I found the movie to have greater depth of feeling the second time I saw it and its big emotional beats played really well. I better understood the universe and the different races, names of characters etc.
It is really sad how savaged this movie got in the media because of its budget. It really is a good sci-fi adventure story. It wears its heart on its sleeve and it is quality entertainment. It has been said many times before but Michael Giacchino's score in this movie is just marvelous. I have been humming the main theme since the movie ended. I kind of want to watch it again right now actually haha.
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