“John Carter” is a big Disney movie that takes place in a big universe that requires the biggest possible showcase.
IMAX 3D delivers the best experience on the planet for this mission to Mars. “John Carter” opened in 290 IMAX theatres in the U.S. Friday, March 9, and will play in 194 IMAX theatres internationally.
Director Andrew Stanton has followed his Pixar brother Brad Bird to the big-budget, live-action arena, and the result is a strong and visually dynamic outing that makes for a modestly fun ride through time and space. The story, based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel, A Princess of Mars, follows an American Civil War soldier (Taylor Kitsch) to the red planet where he finds himself caught up in another civil war amongst the locals on the fourth rock from the sun. But this time he quickly becomes the reluctant hero since he finds that he has gravity-defying leaping ability and slightly superhuman strength.
He also finds a lovely princess (Lynn Collins) who has the potential of healing the scars of a tragic Earthly romance. This princess is closer to the soul of Xena: Warrior Princess than any traditional Disney princess.
(Review continues below the following 10-min video scene from the movie.)
But where Bird incorporated the use of IMAX cameras for maximum impact of the IMAX technology in about a half-hour’s worth of scenes in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” Stanton did not do so in in “John Carter,” and the 3D was added after production was completed. For the most part, the 3D was very effective and provided added depth that noticeably enhanced everything from the expansive vistas to close-ups of action and drama, though too many individual shots suffered from ghosting and blurring. Had both of those decisions regarding the use of IMAX cameras and 3D gone the other way, the movie could have been even more visually appealing – the preceding IMAX previews for “The Hobbit” and “Wrath of the Titans,” as well as the always-eye-popping IMAX countdown to the start of the feature film, completely filled the giant IMAX screen and dazzled the Friday night audience at the Harkins Theatre in Tempe, Arizona even more visually impressively than the movie itself. Nonetheless, many in the opening night crowd applauded “John Carter” at its conclusion.
“John Carter” may be slightly silly and childish to some moviegoers at times, particularly relative to the globular creature with a dog-like personality that adopts Carter, perhaps reflecting the sensibilities of Stanton’s roots in the likes of “Finding Nemo” and “Wall-E.” And Carter’s leaping abilities and skills at executing them become quickly absurd. But all of that is easily dismissed by those willing to simply experience the movie as a fun piece of big entertainment.
— By Scott Hetrick