Mini movie review: John Carter

Mr. Mouse rolled his eyes when I said I'd watched Disney's much-maligned, money pit of a movie, John Carter: "I heard that movie was TERRIBLE."  It wasn't fantastic but I don't think it entirely deserved the thrashing it got, especially when viewed as an homage to all the space operas that have gone before.  Pluswhich, I feel like I was obligated to watch it as a Utah resident: much of the Mars scenes were shot in the crazy rock and desert terrain of southern Utah.  The river scenes, shot on location on Lake Powell, were particularly spectacular.  In no particular order, here are some random observations:

• The movie is way too long at nearly two hours.  It starts off slowly (read: I may have nearly nodded off) but picks up once John Carter gets to Mars.
• I always approve of a shirtless Taylor Kitsch.
• Lynn Collins more than holds her own as an ass-kicking Martian princess and her costumes should be held up there alongside Leia's gold bikini.
• The CGI is pretty well done, especially the Tharks and that ADORABLE dog/lizard (Woola?).
• The plotting gets muddled and the dialogue is at times incomprehensible, particularly since Kitsch tends to mumble.  With a movie like this, though, I'm not sure plot and dialogue are all that important.
• I'm trying to decide if I should read the source material.
• I think the Powers that Be did this movie a big disservice by removing the "of Mars" from the title.  John Carter of Mars gives the uninitiated a clue that "hey! this is a science fiction flick!"  Just John Carter could be about anything.