Today marks the blu-ray release of Disney’s criminally under-appreciated John Carter, just a few short months after its lackluster performance at the box-office led to a $200 million loss for the Mouse House. Yet our goal here isn’t to talk the economics, but rather the quality of the film and its home video release.
The Film
I wrote in my review back in March, “At its core, John Carter is an old-school sci-fi/fantasy that feels the perfect mix of pulp and space opera. Barsoom is a richly imagined world, with clear parallels to both the modern day, as well as its narrative counter-part in our own nineteenth century world. Andrew Stanton displays his clear filmmaking talents shift well into the live-action landscape, as he filmed the action sequences with a wonderfully calm and level manner, never using shaky-cam or quick cuts that have plagued modern filmmaking.”
Upon a third viewing of the film, these sentiments largely hold up over time. It still baffles me how much heat this film took in terms of being lackluster in terms of critical reception (although several of the critics whom I trust personally enjoyed it as well), and a downright failure at the box-office. While we won’t be getting a sequel, it’s a pleasure to be able to personally enjoy this on a pristine blu-ray release.
Visually, the film has a near-perfect transfer on to blu-ray. The expansive wide-shots of Barsoom look particularly breathtaking, as the landscapes pop off the screen. While the landscape is dominated by red (and rightfully so), the colors of the film work really well here.
While the audio isn’t quite as perfect as the visuals, the problems really don’t present themselves until we get into nit-picky areas, so it’s hard to dock the sound too much, as it’s suitable and can easily be fixed with the remote.
The Supplements
From a special features stand-point, it appears as if the main draw is Disney’s Second Screen, a feature I have yet to explore as it requires downloading an app onto a laptop, iPad or mobile device to explore the world of John Carter in detail along with the film.
In terms of what is available on the actual disc, the 360 Degrees of John Carter feature is particularly interesting, as it explores the ins and outs of a single day of production on the film, from makeup on Lynn Collins, handling of extras, stunts, to explosions, set-building, and more – within a soundstage in London. In this feature, we get an inside look behind the awe-inspiring scope of the project, and the work facing Andrew Stanton and the rest of the crew in a half-hour long feature.
Another interesting feature is 100 Years In The Making, a look at the long road to get John Carter adapted for the screen. Here we get a better look at the man behind the story – Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as interviews with Andrew Stanton, Willem Dafoe, Taylor Kitsch, and even Iron Man director Jon Faverau.
The blooper-reel is humorous but quite short, as it prominently features – oddly enough – dancing. The deleted scenes will be of interest to fans of the film, as they give a better idea of where the film could have gone before the editing room. While the scenes don’t have the greatest context, a commentary by Stanton gives a better idea as to why they were ultimately cut from the final result.
For those who simply can’t get enough, there is an audio commentary with Stanton and producers Jim Morris and Lindsey Collins, which offers fresh insight on the film and the filmmaking process.
Final Thoughts
While clearly there is some disconnect between my appreciation for John Carter and other viewer’s reactions, for any fan of the film this release would seem like an easy choice to purchase. Not only does the film look great on blu-ray, but there are enough features to whet the appetite of anyone forlorning the absence of a sequel for the years to come.
John Carter is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD.
SKIP/RENT/BUY: Buy It
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