Movie Reviews: "John Carter" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 03-09-2012, 08:04 PM

Movie Reviews: John Carter

Critics are suggesting that while Tarzan and John Carter were both created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the latest Disney movie is as far removed from the simple apeman tale as Earth is from Mars.

Indeed, they’re suggesting that John Carter may be yet another instructive warning about what can happen when a studio devotes millions of dollars to razzmatazz and scrimps on story.

Claudia Puig in USA Today grants that the movie is “ambitious” but she also writes that it’s “bloated, dreary … humorless … tedious.”

Moreover, she says, “The characters are one-dimensional, even in 3-D, which is gimmicky and unnecessary here.”

A. O. Scott in the New York Times concludes:

A bad movie should not look this good.”

Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal refers to it as:

“a weirdly inert spectacle.”

Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times calls it:

“a big-budget fiasco that's enough to make your jaw drop.”

In his review of the film, Roger Ebert writes in the Chicago Sun Times that director Andrew Stanton’s previous films include A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, and Wall-e.

“All three have tight, well-structured plots, and that’s what John Carter could use more of.”

Mick Lasalle in the San Francisco Chronicle observes that it:

“opens with a big battle scene before we even know who’s fighting, why they’re fighting, or which side we ought to root for. Has the moment come in movies where just the spectacle of stuff blowing up is enough to engage an audience?”

But Peter Howell in the Toronto Star figures that the movie is likely to have a long life — at midnight screenings.

The film, he says, offers much “Rocky Horror-style shout-out potential, because it’s more fun to mock this cinematic catastrophe than to watch it.”

On the other hand, Ty Burr of the Boston Globe, who also mocks the film, notes that:

“behind me at a recent screening was a row of 10-year-old boys who were ecstatically in from the get-go. That’s probably all that matters.”

-IMDB News

ShamelessFanGirl · 03-13-2012, 07:12 PM

I saw the movie yesterday and didn't think that it was bad, the action and storyline were all pretty good I thought, the acting wasn't that bad either. However, you can't please everyone and there will always be those who just don't like movies like this. It doesn't make it a bad movie, it just means that it is not the type of movie that they prefer.

03-09-2012, 08:04 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	Movie Reviews: "John Carter" Movie Reviews: John Carter Critics are suggesting that while Tarzan and John Carter were both created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the latest Disney movie is as far removed from the simple apeman tale as Earth is from Mars. Indeed, they’re suggesting that John Carter may be yet another instructive warning about what can happen when a studio devotes millions of dollars to razzmatazz and scrimps on story. Claudia Puig in USA Today grants that the movie is “ambitious” but she also writes that it’s “bloated, dreary … humorless … tedious.” Moreover, she says, “The characters are one-dimensional, even in 3-D, which is gimmicky and unnecessary here.” A. O. Scott in the New York Times concludes: A bad movie should not look this good.” Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal refers to it as: “a weirdly inert spectacle.” Betsy Sharkey in the Los Angeles Times calls it: “a big-budget fiasco that's enough to make your jaw drop.” In his review of the film, Roger Ebert writes in the Chicago Sun Times that director Andrew Stanton’s previous films include A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, and Wall-e. “All three have tight, well-structured plots, and that’s what John Carter could use more of.” Mick Lasalle in the San Francisco Chronicle observes that it: “opens with a big battle scene before we even know who’s fighting, why they’re fighting, or which side we ought to root for. Has the moment come in movies where just the spectacle of stuff blowing up is enough to engage an audience?” But Peter Howell in the Toronto Star figures that the movie is likely to have a long life — at midnight screenings. The film, he says, offers much “Rocky Horror-style shout-out potential, because it’s more fun to mock this cinematic catastrophe than to watch it.” On the other hand, Ty Burr of the Boston Globe, who also mocks the film, notes that: “behind me at a recent screening was a row of 10-year-old boys who were ecstatically in from the get-go. That’s probably all that matters.” -IMDB News

03-13-2012, 07:12 PM	#2
ShamelessFanGirl Great Power and Resposbility Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 16, 2011 Location: Kentucky, USA Posts: 581	I saw the movie yesterday and didn't think that it was bad, the action and storyline were all pretty good I thought, the acting wasn't that bad either. However, you can't please everyone and there will always be those who just don't like movies like this. It doesn't make it a bad movie, it just means that it is not the type of movie that they prefer.