John Carter (2012)

Considering that I'm forced by deadlines to be in "continuous work mode" despite the holidays (at least until tomorrow), and that I also lost a day in airports, I was thinking to jump over the entry for this weekend. But I took advantage of my short home return and I spent two hours yesterday going to see "John Carter". So, I have something that really deserves trying write my weekly blog entry, even if it's on the rush ...

Maybe it's known, maybe it's not, but it seems that this movie was a pretty big flop at the box office for Disney (the main producer) compared to what was expected. I don't know why "Prince of Persia" came into my mind when I've heard that. And I don't know why I was expecting to have the same contradictory opinion with the American public that I had it also ther (because it seems in Europe the current title did more reasonable with the earnings). But I'll come back to my difference of opinions further because it's not that important. Let me talk first about the subject.

"John Carter" is the second amplitude writing = I don't know how many books, of Edgar Rice Burroughs, who's much more known for .. "Tarzan". By the way, this was a reason to doubt about it .. because at least regarding the "jungle boy" I'm quite far from being a fan. I the current case we have an army officer who after the American Civil War is not really in the mood to continue his military career and starts digging for gold. Which he finds alltogether with a portal to .. Mars. I know .. also me when I first heard the story I thought that "Tarzan"'s author tried unwillingly a prequel to Pierre Boule's "Planet of the Apes", yielding into a result of a wild intergalactic salad good to be at most a subject for second hand comics. But something from the trailer (a scent of .. "Star Wars" :) to make the salad complete) made me to keep the hope up.

And it confirmed, because unlike mega productions such as "Transformers" or, since it's on the screens right now "Wrath of the Titans" (which I didn't see, but I find hard to believe that it might be able to outcome it's predecessor at an above average level), here we have the story. Plus something that the above maybe dream they have, but it's just a fake impression: "the epic feeling". Oh, yes :) ... "John Carter" manages to get both. I'll try to refrain myself from spoilers, but the context of teleporting on the red planet, the factions that are in conflict around there, the romance part, and even a small piece of soap opera, with an ending twist not extremely spectacular (and possibly predictable if you can reason fast enough that the script will be stupid if it would be missing) but anyway sufficiently good for the final ... well, to be honest ... even if would get to "Transformers 10" (hopefully not !) I really doubt that we'll get to see something like this.

The movie has also some less good parts like cliche lines and far fetched action scenes. But you can get over these, because in the end it doesn't get itself too seriously to feel them to strong. In summary, instead a "Tarzan" mixed with "Planet of the Apes", what you get is much more like a "Prince of Persia" mixed with "Star Wars" (and to be even more accurate - the first "Star Wars"). The main actors are ok - and actually the couple here seems to have a better chemistry than the main more known protagonists from "Prince of Persia" ( although it's also possible that I'm subjective about the lead actress :) ). The effects are nice .. I don't know what to say about the rest .. Just go and see it ;)

Rating: 4 out of 5