John Carter 3D

2012 | 132 minutes | Rated PG-13

Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E) adapts a series of novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs about the adventures of a Confederate soldier on Mars. The books offer enough material for several movies, which seems to be the root of the problem here: the movie is so overloaded with exposition that the situations have little room to develop. Unlike Stanton's memorable animation features, this is surprisingly devoid of humor or winning characterization, though the special effects are fantastic. Novelist Michael Chabon worked on the script; with Taylor Kitsch and Samantha Morton. By Ben Sachs

Official Site: disney.go.com/johncarter/?cmp=wdsmp_jcm_url_johncarterarrives
Director: Andrew Stanton
Producer: Jim Morris, Colin Wilson and Lindsey Collins
Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Ciarán Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Church and Mark Strong