by Kroze Kresky, Media Editor

Once in a long while a story comes along that changes the way certain stories are done… a story that inspires countless other stories after it for years to come due to how it changes things. Back in the 1920’s, Edgar Rice Burroughs changed what has come to be known as “the hero’s journey” with one story even before Tarzan was an idea in his head… It told the story of a warrior from a distant land that would come to free an entire planet from slavery and tyranny. This story was called A Princess of Mars. The basis of which was used for countless other stories and movies since then… most notably being Star Wars and James Cameron’s Avatar. But now, nearly an entire century later, Walt Disney Pictures has brought the original science fiction epic to movie theaters around the world with John Carter.

John Carter tells the tale of a former military commander (Taylor Kitch – Battleship, Friday Night Lights) living life out in the wild west in order to get away from his battle filled memories of the recent past he had to live through. Looking for a way in order to  live the rest of his life out in style and wealth, he quickly finds himself in a deadly predicament which threatens to end his quiet retirement… In order to escape he hides out in a special cave where he finds an amulet. The amulet transports him to the far off world of Barsoom (otherwise known to us as Mars) where he encounters strange alien beings and mystical airships. John Carter quickly befriends one of these alien creatures (Willem Dafoe – Spiderman) and saves a princess (Lynn Collins – True Blood)  who tells of her people being ruled by a tyrannical dictator, and she believes that John Carter is the only one that can save her people.

If all this sounds like you have seen it all before then you are right. Most what you see in this movie has been done several upon several times since many things used the original book as inspiration and this movie follows those events almost exactly. But much like a master showing his students exactly how something is done correctly, John Carter manages to execute all of these elements with charm and heart that is missing from others. It helps that the entire film has been well cast and our heroes are instantly likable.  Kitch really pulls the film together as the titular character which speak layers against his previous roles in X-Men: Origins Wolverine and this summers blockbuster flop Battleship. The story is also told in a way which is unexpected and brings about several nice little twists and turns over the course of its two hour running time.

Disney needs to be seriously commended over their CGI efforts in this film as the race of all CGI beings who constantly interact with our live action actors feel more realistic than a certain other race of CGI creatures that George Lucas is to blame for. The designs of the otherworldly structures and ships in the film also deserve special mention as they are a true sight to behold. The films fantastical elements really manage to both pull you into the world of Barsoom as well as bedazzle you with all the incredible sights and sounds it has to offer. The creature designs in this film are also familiar yet alien, giving us the perfect mix of how an alien creature who comes from the same solar system as us should look.

Video and Audio:

The Blu-ray copy of the film is an amazing piece to show off your high end entertainment system to your friends with. Not only are the visuals look amazing in full 1080p but the 7.1 audio mix is like pure sex for the sci-fi fan’s ears. All of the alien creature cries and the battle yells in this film sound crisp and the battle scenes pack all the crunch to them audiophiles have come to expect from a Disney release. Even if the movie wasn’t good, this one is up there right next to TRON: Legacy as a standout showcase piece for your collection!

Special Features:

• Disney Second Screen: Explore John Carter’s journey along with the movie as this feature provides access to maps and lore about Barsoom while you watch the film!

• 360 Degrees of John Carter Featurette: A total, in depth look into the making of John Carter from all aspects of production during one of the biggest scenes of the film.

• 100 Years In The Making Featurette: Experience the effort it took to bring the original “A Princess of Mars” story to the silver screen while staying true to the original book.

• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary By Director Andrew Stanton

• Barsoom Bloopers

• Feature Length Audio Commentary with the Filmmakers

• 7.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound

• Blu-ray Copy of Feature Film

• DVD Copy of Feature Film

Overall:

While John Carter is sure not the most original sci-fi adventure movie you will see, it is a damn fun one which will have you smiling fully entertained on the whole ride through Barsoom. It is sad that the movie bombed in the box office so bad because Disney has a hit on their hands here. With several more books in the series to adapt to the big screen continuing the adventures of John Carter, one can only hope that Disney will continue onward with this franchise as this film is a great start. Quality, production, cast, and effects are all top notch here! No matter if you are a hardcore sci-fi fan or just someone who wants a fun action adventure movie, John Carter has you covered!

ComicsOnline gives John Carter Blu-ray 5 freakin awesome solar powered airships out of 5!

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