readerjane | John Carter

Saw John Carter a couple weeks back.

This is one book series I wasn't attached to as a child. I'd read part of the first Edgar Rice Burroughs book, was mildly intrigued by the worldbuilding but put off by the old-timey cover art and the flatness of the characters. I can't remember whether I tried A Princess of Mars before or after reading Out Of the Silent Planet. I suspect it was after, and that Malacandra had spoiled me for Barsoom.

But I loved Taylor Kitsch's performance in Friday Night Lights (not to mention he's not hard to look at), and the previews looked like the alien critters were very well done, so I decided to go.

I wish I knew the book better. I'd like to know how much of the movie's flaws were kept out of devotion to the original. I think I would understand the production better that way.

Visually, it's beautiful. The lizardy puppy-thing was a charming hoot and a half. The science was no worse than many a sword-and-SF epic.

Two things stood out as problematic to me. One was Tars Tarkas' secret devotion to his daughter in a culture that disdains the nuclear family for the Darwinian uniformity of the clan. Where would such a man (and make no mistake; he may be green but this character is a man) get the idea that his daughter is special to him? How does he even know she's his daughter? Why is Sola, upon learning she is her father's daughter, suddenly anxious for his love? Was Burroughs trying to say that fatherhood is universal beyond humanity?

The second thing was Dejah Thoris' near wedding to the villain. Dejah Thoris was presented as an agent: both a warrior and a scientist. She reluctantly agrees to marry the conquering warlord in order to prevent him from razing her city. She doesn't know the villain is planning to kill her. So why, having once agreed to the wedding, does Dejah Thoris act as if her life is over? She's not a shrinking heroine. Why isn't she planning either to kill the villain herself when the opportunity presents, or to wrest a measure of rule for herself once she is queen? I mean, for most of the story Dejah Thoris is portrayed as someone who makes decisions and carries them out. She doesn't wait for someone to rescue her. She doesn't flinch from overwhelming odds. Why would she stop acting that way? If this is a holdover from canon, why was it so important a bit to keep in the movie?

I wanted to know more about poor Edgar, left alone with that mausoleum of a house and a whole buttload of unexpected bequest.

I suspect this movie won't sell well enough to earn a sequel.

Lizard-doggy was really cute, though. And those airships were beautiful. Not that you'd ever get me up in one of those things.