John Carter
Hero of two worlds
Although I’ve seen more than once the trailer for the movie “John Carter” (USA, 2012), it was only when I read the synopsis that I identified the story on which the film is based. The source is the book “A Princess of Mars”, written in 1912 by Edgar Rice Burroughs, an American writer best known as the creator of the character Tarzan.
The fact that the film is based on a Burroughs story for me would already be a tremendous incentive. After all, Tarzan’s complete collection figures in my library, books that my father had bought before I was even born. But I’m always a little afraid, because some film adaptations are real disasters.
Not to create an unnecessary suspense, I will paraphrase Julius Caesar: I came, saw and liked. The story taken to the screens may not be strictly faithful to the book, but the spirit of Burroughs’ books has been maintained, and it has become even better adorned with the best special effects that our technology could offer.
Of course, many poetic freedoms have been taken, and there is no scientific basis for the narrated facts. But we must remember that cinema first of all is entertainment. For more scientific information, it’s best to watch Discovery or National Geographic documentaries.
We are taken, at the beginning of the film, to Mars, where the inhabitants (just like us) are beat for control of the planet. The peaceful city of Helium is threatened by the bellicose inhabitants of Zodanga, a mobile city that destroys everything it passes through. As Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) seeks a powerful force that will help rebuild the planet, her father, Tal Hajus (Thomas Haden Church) is forced to capitulate before Sab Than (Dominic West), the ruler of Zodanga.
Sab Than’s victory is not without reason. He was the side chosen by some mysterious beings, who handed him a weapon that emits a powerful blue ray. These beings are commanded by Matai Shang (Mark Strong), who had his own reasons for this choice.
Meanwhile, on Earth, in a desert area of the state of Arizona, John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), a Civil War veteran, unsuccessfully searches for a gold mine. He is harassed by the new United States army to join its ranks, which he refuses at all costs.
As he escapes from prison, chased by both soldiers and Apaches, Carter encounters a strange cave with the gold he had dreamed of. However, when facing a stranger who threatens him inside the cave, he is transported by a portal to fall on the planet Mars.
There, he is found by Tars Tarkas (voice of Willem Dafoe), a huge and green-colored being with four arms and insect appearance. Tars is impressed by Carter’s strength and ability to jump huge, thanks to the planet’s low gravity.
Taken to the tribe of Tars, Carter is in the care of Sola (voiced by Samantha Morton), who gives him to drink a “liquid of words”, and so the Earthling can communicate with the Martians.
His relationship with his new friends is compromised by the arrival of Princess Dejah, who was fleeing Sab Than. With Tars’ help, Carter manages to escape with Dejah and Sola in search of a mysterious place, where a powerful source of energy can be found, capable of reversing the course of the war. The film follows a rhythm very similar to those of Burroughs’ books, with comings and goings, captures and fights, with a great climax, and a surprising ending.
A spectacle apart are the locations used, mostly in the state of Utah, which seem to even be a mars scenario, not earth. Highlight to the canyon passage, and a rock shaped like an inverted pyramid.
When it comes to a production of Disney studios, it’s no surprise the fantasy tone, packed in a spectacular graphics effects package. Most movies that use these effects do so in night scenes, where it is easier to disguise imperfections. “John Carter”, however, has a large number of daytime scenes, which must have made the process much more difficult – and expensive.
“John Carter” resumes a tradition of Disney studios bringing to the screen classics of great writers such as Jules Verne, Conan Doyle, and now Edgar Rice Burroughs.
This is a fun movie, ideal for the whole family, without restriction due to excessive violence or misrepresentation of values. It’s a great example of cinema as simple and good fun. Available on the Disney plus platform.