History YMMV / JohnCarter

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a [[NobleConfederateSoldier former Confederate soldier]] who goes to Mars and dresses like [[Literature/ConanTheBarbarian Conan]]. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to [[OnceOriginalNowCommon looking cliche]], despite being TropeMaker and [[TropeCodifier Codifier]] for vast majority of those. These factors contributed to the movie's BoxOfficeBomb status, and ensured that [[StillbornFranchise the planned trilogy never materialized]].
* ClicheStorm: A common criticism, despite the book being the originator for many sci-fi tropes. In fact, it being [[TropeMakers the source to so many tropes, cliches and conventions]] is the very reason why it failed to get any reaction from modern audiences, as ''three generations'' have passed since ''Barsoom'' was fresh and unique. And [[OnceOriginalNowCommon countless imitations]] along the way happened - some of them becoming genre classics on their own.

* ClicheStorm: A common criticism, despite the book being the originator for many sci-fi tropes. In fact, it being [[Trope Maker the source to so many tropes, cliches and conventions]] is the very reason why it failed to get any reaction from modern audiences, as ''three generations'' have passed since ''Barsoom'' was fresh and unique. And [[OnceOriginalNowCommon countless imitations]] along the way happened - some of them becoming genre classics on their own.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a [[NobleConfederateSoldier former Confederate soldier]] who goes to Mars and dresses like [[Literature/ConanTheBarbarian Conan]]. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to SeinfeldIsUnfunny. These factors contributed to the movie's BoxOfficeBomb status, and ensured that [[StillbornFranchise the planned trilogy never materialized]].
%% * ClicheStorm: A common criticism, despite the book being the originator for many sci-fi tropes. See also {{Troperrific}} on the film page.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Source of many claims the film is a ripoff of more recent fiction such as ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' and ''Film/TheLastSamurai''. The book series it's based on was first published in ''1912'' and in fact inspired many of the works ''John Carter'' was accused of ripping off; the trouble is that by the time the film adaptation came out in 2012 (a century later), almost everything about it had already been done in dozens of other works ingrained in pop culture.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a [[NobleConfederateSoldier former Confederate soldier]] who goes to Mars and dresses like Conan. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to SeinfeldIsUnfunny. These factors contributed to the movie's BoxOfficeBomb status, and ensured that [[StillbornFranchise the planned trilogy never materialized]].

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a former Confederate soldier who goes to Mars and dresses like Conan. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to SeinfeldIsUnfunny. These factors contributed to the movie's BoxOfficeBomb status, and ensured that [[StillbornFranchise the planned trilogy never materialized]].

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a former Confederate soldier who goes to Mars and dresses like Conan. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to SeinfeldIsUnfunny. These factors contributed to the movie's BoxOfficeBomb status, and ensured that the planned trilogy never materialized.

%% * SoOkayItsAverage: The common appraisal of it is that it's by no means a terrible film, but also that it's very evident why it didn't make its money back.

* OlderThanTheyThink: The source material of this film inspired hits such as ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''Film/{{Avatar}}''. Or inspired the works which inspired them. Yes, the "John Carter"-novels have been around for that long. In fact, {{Superman}} was basically a CaptainErsatz of John Carter himself, when he first debuted (just coming from an alien planet to Earth instead of the other way around).

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Source of many claims the film is a ripoff of more recent fiction such as ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' and ''Film/TheLastSamurai''. The book series its based on was first published in ''1912'' and in fact inspired many of the works ''John Carter'' was accused of ripping off; the trouble is that by the time the film adaptation came out in 2012 (a century later), almost everything about it had already been done in dozens of other works ingrained in pop culture.

* UglyCute: While Woola looks like a bear-sized lizard with the face of a bull-dug, his dog-like mannerisms make him incredibly [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/woola_7701.PNG endearing.]] Also, the baby Tharks.

%% * UglyCute: [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/woola_7701.PNG Woola.]] Also, the baby Tharks.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a former Confederate soldier who goes to Mars and dresses like Conan. Furthermore, the source material has been copied so much that the official adaptation succumbed to SeinfeldIsUnfunny.
%% * SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=butMdidqqCs The end credit suite.]]

* HarsherInHindsight: Another Sci-Fi film produced by Disney, ''Film/{{Tomorrowland}}'', also bombed at the box office, leading to the studios giving up on producing Sci-Fi films outside of Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics, and cancelling the highly anticipated sequel to ''Film/TronLegacy''. A lot of ''John Carter'' fans have taken pity on the ''Tron'' fans for this reason. Then ''Film/{{Solo}}'' failed as well, dooming Lucasfilm to also be ScrewedByTheNetwork in favor of the highly-controversial Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes. Pray for Marvel, as their massive successes don't necessarily mean it'll be an eternal cash cow.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** As noted on the trivia page, Director Andrew Stanton insisted on using "Kashmir" by Music/LedZeppelin in the trailers, but Disney refused, believing that a 30 year old rock song wouldn't appeal to the younger male audience the film was intended for. 5 years later, ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' would heavily feature "The Immigrant Song", an older song by the same band, and not only was a critical success, but it also wound up making '''over 3 times''' what ''John Carter'' made, and 3 years before ''Ragnarok'', there was ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'', which was filled with various other songs that were either as old as or a few years shy of "Kashmir", and it also made roughly around 3 times what ''John Carter'' made.
** The Tharks are designed here with faces that bear a passing resemblance to the Bewilderbeast of ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon2'', especially Tal Hajus who is missing his left tusk just like Drago's Bewilderbeast after the climax.

* {{Narm}}: One of the Martian cities is called Helium. Try not to think of HeliumSpeech every time it is mentioned.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=butMdidqqCs The end credit suite.]]
* ClicheStorm: A common criticism, despite the book being the originator for many sci-fi tropes. See also {{Troperrific}} on the film page.
* EnsembleDarkhorse: [[BadassAdorable Woola]] and [[LoveableRogue Kantos Kan.]]

* SoOkayItsAverage: The common appraisal of it is that it's by no means a terrible film, but also that it's very evident why it didn't make its money back.

* UglyCute: [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/woola_7701.PNG Woola.]] Also, the baby Tharks.

* SoOkayItsAverage: As much as it was panned, no one can say it's the worst film ever.

* OneSceneWonder: Kantos Kan (played by James Purefoy) doesn't have much to do besides act as NumberTwo to his king, but he gets the spotlight when he helps John escape one of the several times he's taken prisoner or detained.

* HarsherInHindsight: Another Sci-Fi film produced by Disney, ''Film/{{Tomorrowland}}'', also bombed at the box office, leading to the studios giving up on producing Sci-Fi films outside of Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics, and cancelling the highly anticipated sequel to ''Film/TronLegacy''. A lot of ''John Carter'' fans have taken pity on the ''Tron'' fans for this reason. Then ''Film/{{Solo}}'' failed as well, dooming Lucasfilm to also be ScrewedByTheNetwork in favor of the highly-controversial Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes. Pray for Marvel.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Source of many claims the film is a ripoff of more recent fiction such as ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' and ''Film/TheLastSamurai''.

* HilariousInHindsight: Matai Shang (played by Mark Strong) gives the traitor a weapon that acts like a GreenLanternRing. By this point, Mark played [[Film/GreenLantern Sinestro.]]

* HarsherInHindsight: Another Sci-Fi film produced by Disney, ''Film/{{Tomorrowland}}'', also bombed at the box office, leading to the studios giving up on producing Sci-Fi films outside of Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics, and cancelling the highly anticipated sequel to ''Film/TronLegacy''. A lot of ''John Carter'' fans have taken pity on the ''Tron'' fans for this reason.

** The Tharks are designed here with faces that bear a passing resemblance to the Bewilderbeast of ''Film/HowToTrainYourDragon2'', especially Tal Hajus who is missing his left tusk just like Drago's Bewilderbeast after the climax.

* SignatureScene: The scene where Carter fights off an entire ''army'' of Warhoons intercut with [[spoiler: his flashbacks to the death of his family]]. Even people who hated the movie frequently admit that it was an ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesome]]'' scene, not to mention being extremely [[TearJerker powerful.]]

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Some people who didn't want to watch the movie said they couldn't buy into the premise of a former Confederate soldier who goes to Mars and dresses like Conan.

** As noted on the trivia page, Director Andrew Stanton insisted on using "Kashmir" by Music/LedZeppelin in the trailers, but Disney refused, believing that a 30 year old rock song wouldn't appeal to the younger male audience the film was intended for. 5 years later, ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' would heavily feature "The Immigrant Song", an older song by the same band, and not only was a critical success, but it also wound up making '''over 10 times''' what ''John Carter'' made

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=butMdidqqCs The end credit suite.]]

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome: From the aliens, to the backdrops of Mars, the film packs an amazing visual flair. Appropriate due to the fact that the director is from Pixar.