I wanted to see the John Carter movie in the theater but didn’t get a chance. I understand it was a big flop, but that doesn’t always indicate a bad movie. Right now it looks like it’s not available on Netflix instant watch and iTunes and Amazon aren’t renting it, only selling it, and it’s about $20. Any views on whether it’s worth that price?
$20? I don’t think so. I thought it was fun, but I wouldn’t pay that much for the privilege. (Note: I have been called a cheapskate by a pure-blooded Scotsman.)
I thought it was kind of meh. It has some fairly decent action, but I thought it missed the “pulpy fun” target it was aiming for, and it features Taylor Kitsch on his quest to become the silver screen’s most nondescript leading man.
Definitely not worth $20 from Amazon. Ideally, you would stream it from Netflix and watch it while folding laundry or something, but if you’re looking for a few hours to kill on a Saturday night, a Redbox rental for a buck seems reasonable.
I really liked the movie a lot, but I wouldn’t pay $20 to see it.
It was alright, decent action flick, but kinda failing as an adaption. Entertaining enough for a rent from the Redbox, but not for a purchase at that cost IMHO.
I didn’t like it, and hubby, who usually likes even the really crappy sci-fi/space movies didn’t like it either.
What about special effects. If it has action and good sfx, I might watch it. I’m pretty easy like that.
You should be able to rent it from Amazon instant watch for about 4 bucks.
The only problem I had with it was that I’d seen it all before, and recently. Apart from the movies that took its lead from it, like Star Wars, we had just seen a whole array of desert fantasy and SF movies, like Prince of Persia, Clash of the Titans, and Cowboys and Aliens. It just felt too familiar.
But, in itself, it’s a decent, well staged fantasy action movie. I was particularly impressed by Dejah Thoris.
I really didn’t like it at all. It had numerous groan moments for me and the entire movie was just way too cheesy for my tastes. And not in a good way. There’s a reason it flopped and it wasn’t for being an under appreciated but good movie. Rent it from your local video rental if there’s still one around, as it MIGHT be worth a $3.99 rental fee but definitely not $20.
I admittedly have very high standards for any movie, action popcorn flick or not, and I watched it on PPV at a friend’s house and quit maybe a third into it, it just wasn’t very good. And much too silly. I know it was based on a 100+ year old story, but still, watching a human bounce around like Ricochet Rabbit in Mars’ low gravity?! Plus the Martians all looked & acted like Jar-Jar Binks. 'Nuff said…
I thought it was pretty good, but I wouldn’t pay $20 for it. It was “see it a time or two” good, not “add it to your permanent collection” good.
There are very few movies worth 20 bucks, this is not one of them. Rent it for 4-5, you might enjoy it.
I didn’t finish it. It just never grabbed me.
As a teen I bought and read the entire series through several times. I had the Ballantine Books paperbacks. The covers of those books informed what I thought of when I imagined the scenes depicted in the John Carter stories. The covers were done by Gino D’Achille and have a Frazetta-esque look to them.
The difference between what I pictured and the way the film looked was hard for me to get past. If you don’t have a pre-formed idea if how it’s supposed to look you may enjoy it.
Or for about a buck from Redbox. Personally, I found it boring and too long. (Oddly, though, I enjoyed Battleship, which was the other big unsuccessful film starring Taylor Kitsch this year. Savages, on the other hand, was good and was critically acclaimed.)
It’s a rental for certain. Or you can wait a bit and I’m sure it’ll be in the discount DVD bin for $5 is about six months. I like cheesy sci-fi and am a fan of the John Carter stories but this made me glad I didn’t shell out full price to see it in a theater.
I’ve read all the books also, and got it from Netflix not too long ago. No trouble watching it all the way through, but it just didn’t click. I know these days they had to make Dejah Thoris a brainy action heroine, but I could have used her a bit hotter and a bit more need of rescuing before the end. It got too Disneyfied. I read an interview with Lynn Collins where she said she actually removed some pieces of her costume. It wasn’t nearly as bad as rumor had it, but I was a prime target market, so I can imagine those not knowing the books being turned off.
I kinda lkiked it, but would never pay $20 for it. I saw it in a second run theater for $4 I think, I didn’t regret it.
Brian
My wife and I have (for many used) used a $$ rating system, rather than a star-system, for rating movies. Much more useful: how much is it worth to see it (per ticket)? I’d put the JOHN CARTER movie at under $5, but even then, you’ll probably feel like you overpaid.
My suggestion is that you wait until it’s on HBO or SHOWTIME or whatever premium channels (or wait six months or so until you can stream or get from Netflix), and then watch for free. It’s just come out on DVD, so the costs are currently high. In six months, they’ll be trying to remainder what didn’t sell. In a year, you’ll get it free.