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John Carter; Movie Review
Topic Started: Mar 27 2012, 10:54 PM (298 Views)
lgm
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Demogorgon
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Every writer except Tolkien ;)
I found what seems to be a fair review of John Carter. It wasn't in a review but in comparing why Hunger Games made a ton of money and John Carter bombed:

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Disney's lavish, $250 million adaptation of the swords-on-Mars fantasy novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs brought in $5 million, increasing its overall box office to $62.3 million -- roughly half of which was made in its own opening weekend. Those using the word "epic" to classify "John Carter" now use it to describe its estimated $200 million shortfall.
"John Carter," for whatever it's worth, isn't quite as dismal a movie as it is a moneymaker. Thirty, even 20 years ago, it might have been exotic enough to be taken for pop-cultural innovation. Now it comes across as a lumbering, good-natured oaf who happened to stumble into the marketplace at the wrong time. On the other hand, "The Hunger Games," with its reality-TV-on-toxic-drugs premise, is so very much "of its time" that it's tempting to think much of its imagined future has already arrived. (Do you feel a draft? I do.)
Meanwhile, those who approach "John Carter" with foreknowledge of its box-office crash-and-burn might be surprised to see how charming it can be at times, especially when its eponymous Civil War veteran-turned-rhino-riding superhero (Taylor Kitsch) is adjusting his previously Earth-bound muscles to Martian gravity. In its heedlessly bombastic manner, the movie is faithful to its origins as a rip-snorting romantic fantasy much like Burroughs' far more famous stories featuring Tarzan. If the producers were more willing to let Andrew Stanton direct the movie as the garish, live-action comic strip it was meant to be, it might have connected, though not necessarily for a home run.
But even the decision to call the movie "John Carter," instead of "John Carter of Mars" or even "A Princess of Mars," the actual title of Burroughs' first installment of the Carter opus, is emblematic of an over-cautiousness that dampens every sequence and set-piece. The whole movie feels worked-over, second-guessed, whipped to a thickness that hobbles the movie's momentum.
Edited by lgm, Mar 31 2012, 11:05 AM.
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Andrul
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It's worth watching, especially if you see the $6 afternoon or Tuesday showing. I plan to pick it up on DVD and I don't say that about every movie I watch. And his comparison of Hunger Games to reality tv is enough to make me glad I didn't see it instead of John Carter.



On a tangent, did anyone catch Britain's Got Talent this week? My mother showed me a part of it on the internet. This badly overweight, long haired 17 yr old has an awesome tenor voice and when Simon told him to dump the woman he was singing with he responded that they came together, they stay or leave together. Kid's got class.
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Benevolance
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Hunger Games isn't a reality TV movie; it's a dystopian film about what happens if society takes reality TV to a ridiculous extreme, not disimilar from the bloodsports of ancient Rome. I have neither seen nor read the Hunger Games, but I have not encountered anybody who disliked either medium.

The best part of the Hunger Games has been the ignorance. People who loved the books 'discovering' that their favorite characters were non-caucasian and thus declaring it ruined the story. They felt cheated, because they shed tears for a dying little black girl. :P
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Auduma
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Oh, if you guys are gonna start talking Hunger Games, I should probably stop reading this topic :ermm:
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Benevolance
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Spoiler: click to toggle
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lgm
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I was reading about that whole aversion to the movie because certain characters were dark skinned. The article went on to say that Hunger Games novels specifically stated two of the people had dark skin while the third was only described as having brown hair. Total reading comprehension failure.

The Brit singer kid has been making the rounds of the internet. Good kid.

And as a further aside, do not look into the remake of Total Recall if you liked the original. Colin Farrell as Quaid. No Mars at all. Euroamerica vs. China. Politics instead of corporate evil. :(
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Andrul
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Thanks for the warning. I've been very disappointed with most remakes the past two decades. I need to watch the Sherlock Holmes movies with R.D. Jr though, I've been told by people who like the old movies that it's good. I'm probably going to skip on the Robocop remake when it comes out. The most engrossing thing about the movie was the general "ME FIRST" attitude and lack of compassion in general with the exception of a few cops. I don't think they could make a film with the same impact without turning it into a slasher film.

edit: spelling correction
Edited by Andrul, Apr 1 2012, 01:01 PM.
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lgm
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They just premiered the Total Recall trailer on tv a few minutes ago. Channel flipping has its rewards. It actually looks good. I may actually be sold on Colin Ferrel if he does as well through the whole movie as the little clip. I wish they'd go the whole Mars route for a remake. The trailer makes it look like a sequel that just makes use of the same overall plot structure. I'm thinking it could be enjoyable. It sure read horrible the other day.

On a similar note, 21 Jump Street made a big enough splash to warrant a sequel already in the works now. The 80s are getting worked over pretty heavy in Hollywood.
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Andrul
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I'll wait until it's available on Spike or Encore. I liked the series, can't remember enough humorous moments to actually include "comedic" when describing it. Now Quincy, on the other hand, would be awesome as a mixture of seriousness and comedy because the series was. but I can't think of anyone to adequately replace Jack Klugman.
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Benevolance
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I really want to see both Hunger Games and John Carter in the movie theatre. But with a clingy 6 month old son, I'm not sure we'll make it. And I really don't want to see a movie during the 'mom-and-kids' hours. Although John Carter might be loud enough to drown out the other children...
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