# John Carter (of Mars) movie -- worth getting on iTunes or Amazon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455 "2012-12-29T03:33:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/1 "2012-12-29T03:33:46Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/2 "2012-12-29T03:41:21Z")
$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.) ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/3 "2012-12-29T03:46:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/4 "2012-12-29T03:58:37Z")
I really liked the movie a lot, but I wouldn’t pay $20 to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Rubixcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rubixcube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubixcube)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/5 "2012-12-29T04:05:47Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/6 "2012-12-29T04:06:07Z")
I didn’t like it, and hubby, who usually likes even the really crappy sci-fi/space movies didn’t like it either. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/7 "2012-12-29T05:25:33Z")
What about special effects. If it has action and good sfx, I might watch it. I’m pretty easy like that. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/8 "2012-12-29T06:04:41Z")
You should be able to rent it from Amazon instant watch for about 4 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/9 "2012-12-29T06:24:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/10 "2012-12-29T06:42:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/11 "2012-12-29T07:14:38Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/12 "2012-12-29T17:56:34Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/13 "2012-12-29T18:41:13Z")
There are very few movies worth 20 bucks, this is not one of them. Rent it for 4-5, you might enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/14 "2012-12-29T18:55:29Z")
I didn’t finish it. It just never grabbed me. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/15 "2012-12-29T19:13:01Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/16 "2012-12-29T21:35:38Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > You should be able to rent it from Amazon instant watch for about 4 bucks. 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.) ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/17 "2012-12-30T06:09:37Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/18 "2012-12-30T08:49:33Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/19 "2012-12-30T13:01:29Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455/20 "2012-12-30T14:26:04Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-carter-of-mars-movie-worth-getting-on-itunes-or-amazon/645455.md?page=2)