John Carter

If you are a fan of the science fiction genre then the movie John Carter deserves a place in your DVD library. Based on the classic novel The Princess of Mars, written by Edgar Rice Burroughs and published back in 1917, it has been bought to the big screen in a rip-roaring, action packed, imaginative movie starring Taylor Kitsch as our hero, John Carter, Lynn Collins as the head-strong Princess, Dejah Thoris and, (see if you can pick him), Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, a leader of the Tharks.

John Carter

Although Burroughs' works have influenced many writers, movie producers and directors over the years it has taken a number of false starts until finally the full imaginative vision of the life, technology, science, landscapes and peoples of Mars could be rendered in it's breathtaking effect by Walt Disney Studios.

Andrew Stanton, who made his live-action directing debut with John Carter and also wrote the screenplay with Mark Andrews, captured the full hostility and barrenness of what, it is easy to imagine, as a Martian landscape by filming in the gritty, hot red deserts of Southern Utah. He also recreates the visuals of Barsoom (Mars) with dazzling costume and set design and excellent cgi effects to reproduce the word imagery and stunning cover graphics of the novels.

The story line is pretty straight forward. A handsome brooding hero finds himself transported to an alien planet (which he quickly adapts to rather well) and is taken under the wing of a soft-hearted, four armed green alien, a Thark. In rapid succession he finds himself falling in love with a red complexioned beautiful Heliumiam Princess, escaping from the clutches of an evil manipulating Thern and finally leading a rebellion against the hostile Zedanga. And let's not discount the numerous battles with aliens of various types.

The Princess of Mars was the first of 11 books in the Barsoom series of Martian adventures written by Burroughs. Hopefully Disney is planning a trilogy at least.

If you are interested in some of the history leading up to the production of the movie then the short feature 100 Years In The Making, included as a Bonus Feature on the DVD, provides some history on Edgar Rice Burroughs. It also provides some commentary from directors and writers and even an astrophysicist and a philosopher on the influence Burroughs and his Barsoon series has had on the science fiction genre over the years.

Read our original review of the movie when it was released to the big screen in Australia in March 2012.

• Bonus Feature: 100 Years In The Making

• Audio Commentary by Director Andrew Stanton and Producers Jim Morris & Linsday Collins.

Conclusion: Movie 75% Extras: 55%