LibriumArcana.Games

First off, the good changes. Dejah Thoris is much more active character then in the book, she is a engineer or scientist (she's mucking with hardware like an engineer and fussing over theories like a scientist) questing after a technology which could save her, her city and her planet. She fights, argues and schemes for her goals (Lynn Collins provides a strong performance and is damn hot in this role to). I like this version better then the book version, even though classic Dejah Thoris wasn't a shrinking violet either. The expanded role of the Therns was interesting, as was the moving city that conquers and eats it's way across Barsoom (shout out to Mortal Engines in my book). The strong gender roles of Burroughs Barsoom is gone, which also doesn't bother me(although seriously why are all the female troops no where to be seen when the sword fights start, expect for Dejah). John Carter is changed a bit as well and that one is more questionable as well. He's made a widower who lost his wife and daughter (burned to death by ?) while he was fighting for the CSA. Interestingly he doesn't brood or wail about this, but at the same the effect of this lost is a massive thing on his shoulders and you can see it without being beaten over the head with it. It's actually done subtly compared to most Hollywood movies. Sola is also given an expanded part in the movie, which is well done. The Tharks in general I felt were well done, they could have easily turned into Jar Jar Binks but are instead made people. Also I love the dog,

Bad Changes, the politics are massively simplified in this movie. Barsoom is reduced from dozens of city states and nations with dozens of hordes, to two city states and a handful of hordes in the waste. This is a waste. The Tharks part in things is reduced as well, we don't get as much Thark on Thark violence and John's relationship to them is reduced as well. Gone to are most of the alien customs that made Barsoom such an exotic and alien place. One of the major problems in the book (That John couldn't kill the guy that Dejah was pledged to and marry her) is gone. That reeks of pure Hollywood convention to make sure we get our EPIC SHOWDOWN between the villan and the hero (of course, who the villan is a little complicated). The characters have been made a more complex and real but their setting has been simplified, this is a mistake.

As to the plot of the movie itself. It's a good, clean plot with most of the standard notes, but the Thern add an interesting twist. John isn't fighting primary the Jeddeck of the evil moving city, but a behind the scenes conspiracy to keep the Barsoomians controlled and managable. This however has been done before, although the confrontation between John and the head Thern (which is a dialogue) opens some interesting lines of thought, it does kinda turn into the Thern twirling his mustache while explaining his evil plan (stop doing this guys!). The use of the framing device in the story itself is well done however!