John Carter's Mars Isn't As Red As You'd Expect

[Andy Chalk]

I'm not saying that the movie is guaranteed to be the best thing since sliced bread. I fully understand that is could end up being a rather bad movie. I just get annoyed that the first reactions I see to a great trailer of a franchise I never ever ever thought could become a high-budget movie are nitpick things like "Lynn Collins isn't naked enough" and "They didn't paint the red matians all red" along with saying that it looks to standard, as if the source material wasn't comically clichéd by today's standards.

But those aren't complaints I made, although I understand that you weren't reacting to my response specifically. And again, you saw it as a great trailer, I saw it as another generic Disney vehicle. We both want this to be a great movie; at this point we're just differing on first impressions.

I do take issue with your remark about the source material, however. The fact that it's "comically cliched" isn't relevant, or shouldn't be. If you're going to make a John Carter movie, make a John Carter movie. Make it true to the story, a swashbuckling tale of manly men and damsels in distress. Don't fuck around with it. I can put up with a lot, but my real fear is of a strong, empowered, sharp-tongued Dejah Thoris, fighting side-by-side with her man John Carter, proving that even on Mars, sisters are doing it for themselves!

I will weep. Seriously.

 

[MarsProbe]

I've never read the books in questions, but nonetheless, the trailer isn't doing much for me. Apart from the part from 0:40 - 0:46. The blue lights are pretty.

Also, it pains me when alien planets (even if it is just Mars) end up looking just like Earth. Looks like they're going with "action flick" mode here, seeing that low gravity = jumping around like Neo/character that predates Neo who is extremely good at jumping around.

Perhaps someone who has read the books could explain the presence of what look to me somewhat like Roman soldiers as we tend to depict them as well as [an] alien?

 

[Phoenix14]

Oh yeah I read this book a while ago....Wasn't it called the "Princess of Mars" though??

 

[YodaUnleashed]

I'm very interested to see how Andrew Stanton (director of Finding Nemo and WALL-E) has handled a live-action film and whether it will be up to his previous excellent standards. He's certainly experienced in science-fiction worlds so I'm sure visually the film will be a tour de force and he knows how to create interesting and likable characters at least with Pixar's world-best animators, here's hoping he has another success.

 

[Gerhardt]

I first thought it read "John Carpenter's Mars" and thought ALREADY a remake?!

Never read the books, and looks pretty generic from the trailer. But hey, it can't be worse than Tron Legacy, right?

That's what I saw first too... and saw Disney in there too. I was more than a little confused at first.

 

[William Fleming]

Some parts of the trailer seemed to remind me of Disney's Atlantis for some reason especially 0:41. Hopefully it will be good though considering the potential.

 

[Bacaruda]

That trailer made it look really, really, really mediocre. It will most likely be a forgettable film at best.

But I hate trailer in general so I may be wrong(not that I have been so far).

 

[crotchdot]

One of the things that has me nervous is that IMDB lists Sarkoja and Matai Shang, who didn't turn up until the third book

Wikipedia has lead you astray, I just finished the first book and Sarkoja played a small but important and recurring role.

 

[duchaked]

the trailer was pretty beast

tho I couldn't help but keep thinking it was the Prince of Persia
with sci-fi elements attached

 

[samsonguy920]

One of the things that has me nervous is that IMDB lists Sarkoja and Matai Shang, who didn't turn up until the third book (according to Wiki, yes, I had to look it up) which suggests that they're planning on cramming in more than just the first book - which is an awful lot of ground to cover for one movie. Meanwhile, there's no mention at all of Mors Kajack, and the Thark looks like a cross between a Salarian and Jar-Jark Binks.

I am concerned.

Shocks the hell out of me that they are keeping Carter as a 19th century cowboy. That alone gives me a bit of hope. Otherwise I'm willing to give a bit of leeway.
That being said, Dejah Thoris is wearing too much.

One thing to keep in mind, is that not all post-production work is done on a movie come trailer time. We may yet get our red Mars. Those scenes were also whipping by fast enough as if in an effort to cause us to miss those details.

 

[Sodoff]

Psh It wont be no Total Recall. I doubt anyone are as profficient at getting "Deir Ass Tu Marz!" than Arnold himself.

 

[drakythe]

So this got me to start re-reading the books. The first book describes the surface of mars as being covered in a yellow moss-like substance. This probably accounts for why its not so red. And for anyone complaining about the nudity or lack thereof. Really? In our modern cultural climate I don't think the movie could have done that and been taken seriously. So a minor adjustment for the sake of the audience is not only understandable but preferable. The books never focused on the nudity, they only described it as a state of being. It adds no value other than 'cultural' which can be explained in other ways.

I'll reserve judgment for the final movie. The trailer is non-traditional, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Sandernista]

I loved the books, can't wait.

 

[mattaui]

The preview looks better than I expected, but of course it's a bit too Disneyfied for the subject matter. Would have been nice to see it get the weird and wonderful treatment it really deserves. I suppose if it gets people to pick up the books and give them a read, it will serve its purpose.