At the beginning of the film John Carter, the main character is transported to the mysterious land of Mars (Barsoom). He is shown battling an extremely large monster through scenes that cut from one to another at different camera angles, later learning that these are enemies of the land he is residing in. In a dark cave, Princess Dejah Thoris of Barsoom, asks him, “You … are … John Carter of Earth?” He later finds himself caught between different nations of the planet where he then decides himself that he has the responsibility to protect both the land and people from the other superpowers. John uses his skills he’s obtained from living on planet Earth and the weapons available on Barsoom to defeat the large monsters fighting against Barsoom for their land. In this trailer, we see elements of the hero’s journey being portrayed. First he leaves home to a mysterious land (departure), then he meets the leaders of Barsoom (initiation), fights one of the monsters one-on-one (the road of trials), then acts as a soldier on Barsoom’s army, participating in a battle to protect what they have left (the innermost cave). While on this journey, John Carter also falls in love with the princess, who acts as the damsel in distress. This pure love motivates him to save the Barsoom society and be the princess's Prince Charming, reflecting the "hero as lover" archetype. He is also portraying the heroic character archetype of "the superheroic" as he is a human on another planet. He doesn't quite belong there, but those who live on the land need him. The movie John Carter is a science fiction movie that tells about the typical archetype of the battle between good and evil, where the people of Barsoom pose as the good and the other superpowers in Mars pose as the bad.
The initials J.C. are not only John Carter's initials, but also Jackie Chan's. Jackie Chan acts as a hero in every single movie he's played a role in, displaying his wit and skill through martial arts, always defeating the enemy. This foreshadows John Carter to have similar traits, with the ability to dominate the other nations of Mars and taking back the land that is rightfully Barsoom's. I predict he will rescue the damsel in distress and live happily ever after as all heroes do after saving a princess from danger.
Some perceptive notes on the elements you observed. Is there another character archetype at play? How is John Carter like another well known J.C.?
ReplyDeleteI like how you were able to find another hero with the same initials of J.C. Do you think he will successfully saves the Barsoom society and become Prince Charming? If so, what obstacles do you think he will encounter before succeeding?
ReplyDeleteI think John Carter will save the Princess and be her Prince Charming, but first encountering a fight with her or disapproval from her father. He will have to prove her love for her by fighting for her, possibly by saving Barsoom from the other nations of Mars, and risking what he has in Barsoom for her.
DeleteI like how you discovered the different archetypes John Carter as: hero as lover, superheroic. I also like how you compared this movie to of a fairy tale. Do you think the initials J.C. could be the famous explorer, Jacques Cartier? As they are both heroes in their own ways. Also, don't you think John Carter remind you a lot of a well-known superhero, Superman?
ReplyDeleteYou said that this movie is a battle between good vs. evil. What makes the superpowers in Mars create such a distinctive note between good and bad?
In a sense, John Carter is also like Jacques Cartier as he also traveled far from home. I suppose elements of Superman and John Carter are similar as they both seem to be superheroes with superpowers. Superman is different from the rest of society because he has powers that nobody else does, while John Carter is from Earth, therefore having skills that those in Barsoom don't.
DeleteThe other nations in Mars are portrayed as antagonists as the trailer shows John Carter, the protagonist, fighting against them and trying to save Barsoom. The other nations are initiating thee attack, therefore giving us the sense that they are the evil doers in this movie.
How is John Carter similar to Jesus Christ? Are there parallels between their stories? Allusions to the bible are common in much of the literature you will study in an IB class. Jackie Chan will rarely, if ever, be alluded to.
ReplyDelete