DAPs Magic Disney News – by Mr. DAPs
They say that “home is where the heart is.” For John Carter, home is on Mars. John Carter is about a man who is an incredible fighter that the army wants to recruit. He is a Civil War veteran who just wants to get away from it all. Little does he know that as he tries to avoid being forced to fight by the US Army he gets whisked away to Mars where he finds his fighting abilities being needed again.
Picture and Sound:
John Carter looks absolutely beautiful with the blu-ray presentation. The 1080p presentation is absolutely stunning both on Earth and also on Mars. I was quite happy with the details, the clarity, and the color. I actually thought the look of the film was one of the strongest attributes found on John Carter.
The sound for John Carter was equally impressive. The 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround Sound does not disappoint. Ships zoom by, battles ensue, and doors open…both on Earth and Mars… they all sound awesome. This is a good flick for people who like visual and audio effects!
Bonus Features:
There are several bonus features included on the Blu-Ray presentation of John Carter.
- Audio Commentary – Director Andrew Stanton along with a couple of the producers talk about the process of creating John Carter.
- Disney Second Screen Interactive Experience – This is one of my favorite bonus features. It really is amazing technology that allows you to see bonus features and activities as you watch the movie. The app syncs up with it all and this really is worth it on just about every Blu-Ray I’ve reviewed it with!
- Deleted Scenes With Optional Director’s Commentary – This offers ten deleted scenes at different stages of production. This was semi entertaining but not my favorite bonus feature.
- 100 Years in the Making – This offers a look at the last 100 years of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter series. This is one that is very enjoyable but I wish was a LOT longer!
- 360 Degress of John Carter – This is an in depth look at a day of shooting for John Carter and is very interesting. Definitely worth watching.
- Barsoom Bloopers – I really wish they’d stop putting these on Blu-Rays unless they are actually hilarious and worth watching. They are just old now. Needless to say, this wasn’t my favorite bonus feature.
Overview:
John Carter really was a mixed bag for me. There were elements of the film I absolutely loved. Other elements… not so much. I really enjoyed the beginning and the ending. However, I felt that the pacing in the middle was off. I found myself actually bored at times. With that being said, it is a beautifully shot movie. I really enjoyed some of the characters. I thought they did a nice job of creating Barsoom (Mars) and the overall plot made sense. I know a friend of mine found the movie confusing at times as well. All that to say, this one doesn’t get a hat tip. I would suggest seeing it so you can see what it is all about. I would also suggest seeing it on Blu-Ray as it really does look amazing. Finally, even if it does have some pacing issues I would watch it again just for the beginning and the end. I just wouldn’t make a trip all the way to Mars to get this one.
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