SummaryBorn in Virginia and a veteran of the Civil War, John Carter is an honorable and courageous man. However, the war let him dispirited and broken. Accidentally transported to the planet of Barsoom, he soon finds his strength and jumping abilities greatly amplified. He must use these newfound powers to survive the centuries-old war between the nati... Read More
Directed By:Andrew Stanton
Written By:Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, Michael Chabon, Edgar Rice Burroughs
John Carter
Metascore
Mixed or Average
51
User score
Generally Favorable
7.0
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
51
37% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
47% Mixed
20 Reviews
20 Reviews
16% Negative
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
Mar 10, 2012
80
The achievement of John Carter is that it takes the elements worn to nubs by everything from "Star Wars" to "Avatar" to TV's "Fringe" and makes them fresh again.
Mar 8, 2012
75
John Carter manages to be a ridiculous amount of fun, even if you are immune to the charms of Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights) running around in what amounts to a stylish loincloth.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.0
63% Positive
405 Ratings
405 Ratings
27% Mixed
172 Ratings
172 Ratings
11% Negative
69 Ratings
69 Ratings
Jan 22, 2026
10
The rhythmic machinery of a colossal awakening: A 5.0-star sensational surge of raw, high-tension world-building.2012(5.0)I watched John Carter in 2012, and it remains a visceral 5.0-star pillar of "shwi-shwi" grandiosity in my archive—a raw revelation of how a sensational Martian odyssey can dismantle the stagnant boundaries of the terrestrial epic. This experience **** the fourth wall of the adventure genre by infusing Andrew Stanton’s raw, imaginative precision into a narrative rhythm that felt 100% sophisticated and chewy. The narrative rhythm was far from stagnant; instead, it offered a sensational journey across the deserts of Barsoom, leaving me in a state of absolute awe at the "buffed" leap of Taylor Kitsch and the raw, "bbo-jjak" charm of Woola the calot. While the production might have felt stagnant to critics, it leveraged a vivid, Avatar-like scale to deliver an emotional payoff that felt both authentic and sensational, proving that a story about a "man from Virginia" could be a vivid artifact of cosmic belonging. The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by the rhythmic, raw beauty of the white apes battle and the vivid but pathetic struggle against the stagnant manipulation of the Therns, creating a permanent, sensational scar of wonder on my soul. Unlike the stagnant 2.0-star drift of The Day the Earth Stood Still, this encounter possessed a rebellious soul that turned a pathetic red planet into a sensational masterpiece of epic storytelling. It stands in my 2012 record as a powerful 5.0-star testament to the raw power of the theatrical experience—a high-tension encounter with the vivid rhythm of another world that remains one of the most chewy artifacts of my cinematic journey.
Feb 16, 2022
10
This movie deserves a 10/10, it is a fun paced movie full of thrills, action and comedy in equal measure. Badly marketed at the time as the next Starwars, it’s not it is its own movie. A real shame it wasn’t thought of better at release but I think time has been kinder to it given how many good user scores are on here.
Mar 8, 2012
63
John Carter bites off more than even Woola can chew, but it's built on something rare: wonder instead of Hollywood cynicism.
Mar 4, 2012
60
Stanton has built a fantastic world, but the action is unmemorable. Still, just about every sci-fi/fantasy/superhero adventure you ever loved is in here somewhere.
Mar 8, 2012
50
John Carter isn't much - or rather, it's too much and not enough in weird, clumpy combinations - but it is a curious sort of blur.
Mar 6, 2012
40
Stanton has been given the resources to create an expansive, expensive world, but lacks the instincts to direct live-action, a limitation that shows most in the performances. Bare of chest and fair of feature, Kitsch doesn't exhibit enough charisma to carry a project of this scale.
Mar 6, 2012
12
As film theorist Siegfried Kracauer once wrote, to paraphrase, art often blooms in the most hostile soil. No such luck here.
Oct 13, 2021
10
I really don’t comprehend why this movie did so bad. I think it was probably just the time that the movie was brought out. I think with the correct marketing and if this was brought out now. It would do great.
This movie is one of my favourite movies, it’s super underrated. The way the story was told throughout the move was intelligently and strategically put together. I love how it started of as a basic movie that was based in the early 1900’s then transitioned into this action based fantasy. It was like Sherlock Holmes turned even more of a bad ass. There was story, emotion, imagination, adventure, love, action and a super cute alien dog. What more could you want. As someone who has watched probably thousands of movies this is definitely a great watch. I understand differing opinions, especially with movies. This is certainly not a movie that deserves distasteful comments or ridiculed because of how much money it made.
Sep 1, 2022
6
Went into this movie not knowing anything. I'm surprised by its setting and stunning visuals. The factions were very interesting, However I felt like the scenes were too linear and abrupt featuring dry dialogue.
Feb 29, 2020
6
This was a weird movie. I'm not sure what I just watched. I bought the 3D Blu-Ray and watched it on my PSVR. The 3D was pretty good overall. But the story and plot was all over the place. One moment I was watching a western and the next I was watching Star Wars Attack of the Clones lol And then sometimes it felt like I was watching Prince of Persia and True Blood. It's also kind of like Superman. The entire time I was trying to figure out where I've seen that hot woman before. And yup it was Lynn Collins from True Blood. She was so hot in this movie. I almost want to give it a 10/10 just for that. But honestly this was a interesting sci-fi movie that borrows things from other films. The acting was ok but the ending was kind of terrible. It's a must watch and I could see people loving and hating it. This is easily the weirdest movie I've seen.
Sep 28, 2025
3
Is this story supposed to make sense? What the hell was Stanton thinking releasing this absolute mess? I’m into it over and hour and I’m lost.
Jun 29, 2013
3
Really wasnt good. Boring at times lengthy and kinda a terrible plot. And disney wonders why this movie didnt make much in theaters. It just wasnt good.
Production Company:
- Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date:Mar 9, 2012
Duration:2 h 12 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:Lost in Our World. Found in Another.
Awards
International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Golden Trailer Awards
• 1 Nomination
