The Film
It's hard to overcome a label like "the biggest flop of all-time." Disney is certainly putting on its best smile, though, and releasing Mars Needs Moms as a 4-disc combo DVD/Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D package, just as it has done with more successful films such as Tangled. It's nice to see that level of commitment to the format.
However, we're talking a flop of The Adventures of Pluto Nash proportions. Despite the Disney brand, 3D technology, and the Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future) seal of approval, Mars Needs Moms went on to recoup a paltry $39 million of its $150 million budget in theaters.
That's not a typo. Mars Needs Moms somehow spent $150 million. Where did it all go? Bedazzled motion-capture suits for the movie? The dueling Seths (see below)? Craft services? It certainly didn't go into the story.
Milo (motion capture by Seth Green, voice by Seth Dusky) is a typical 9-year-old, who doesn't think mom is all that cool -- until she gets captured by aliens, that is. It turns out that yes, Mars does need moms to raise their young. So Milo does what any loving son would do: He climbs aboard the spaceship in an effort to save her.
We wanted to give the film the benefit of the doubt. However, throughout the movie, we could not figure out who the audience would be for Mars Needs Moms. The first few minutes alone would lose most viewers. Incredibly creepy looking aliens talking in an alien language (with no subtitles) is something for the sci-fi geeks, not most Disney fans. Also yes, the aliens are downright creepy; not exactly Happy Meal-friendly material.
It's hard to imagine any boy wanting to watch a movie where mom is the main character -- unless she is a total bad-ass, of course. The ones that are willing probably aren't too keen on the idea of mom getting kidnapped, no matter how cool the backdrop may be. However, when it comes down to it, Mars Needs Moms is just a really boring movie on any planet.
Need another opinion? Check out Mark Grady's theatrical review of Mars Needs Moms.
The Picture
Mars Needs Moms was the final project for ImageMovers, a studio partnership between Disney and director Robert Zemeckis. Zemeckis is no stranger to Disney or motion capture animation. His previous work includes The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol. Mars Needs Moms shows slight improvement on some of these techniques, to the point where most of the human characters look too real and almost as scary as the aliens.
The 3D effect does add a bit of punch, which is good, since it's probably one of the few reasons to watch this movie. However, we didn't want punch; we were really hoping for a knockout. Disney has an excellent track record when it comes by Blu-ray. Mars Needs Moms isn't horrible image-wise, but just doesn't seem up to Disney's normally excellent standards.
First of all, for a kids' movie, Mars Needs Moms is surprisingly dark visually: dark moments with dark colors. It delivers some good depth throughout the movie, but loses some detail in that darkness. A good example would be when Milo first encounters the spaceship. It's hard to see what's going on, let alone make out fine details.
Secondly, the 3D effect could have been a lot better. We get that most moviegoers look at 3D as a gimmick, but when the time is right, it's right. Unfortunately, Mars Needs Moms wastes a lot of potentially eye-popping opportunities. When we have an animated film about aliens and Mars, it's ok to throw in some cheapo effects. There's just a lack of "in your face" moments, and it's disappointing. The scene with the giant parachute, in particular, seems like it could have offered a bit more pop.
That said, Disney certainly knows how to make a movie look nice. The animation is very sharp and very cool looking. The film looks best in some of its brighter moments. However, there is a lot for the viewer to look at, and for the most part, Disney does its usual great job displaying all of that imagery.
The Sound
Disney delivers out-of-this-world sound, thanks to this DTS-Master Audio 7.1 track. Even though we have a 5.1 setup, it was a very impressive, immersive experience. Atmosphere noises come from just about every angle, and the bass had our floor shaking frequently throughout the film's 88-minute runtime. Overall though, it just really delivers a nice "you are there" type of experience. When the story can't deliver, the echoes and the action try to keep you on the edge of that seat. Despite a mixture of noises, nothing gets in the way of the dialogue -- even when it's gibberish alien speak.
The Extras
Mars Needs Moms comes packing plenty of ways to watch the movie. Aside from the Blu-ray 3D disc, there's also a 2D Blu-ray, a standard-def DVD, and a Digital Copy disc. Even though most of the extras are on the 2D Blu-ray, the most special feature included in the Mars Needs Moms package is an extra 3D tidbit on the 3D disc. Just know that the back of the Blu-ray case can be a bit deceiving. On the Blu-ray 3D disc, in particular, it says there are "Alternate & Deleted Scenes." That "s" usually implies more than one. Instead, there is just one alternate 3D scene from the movie titled, "Mom-Napping." It's awesome that it's in 3D. However, it could have used an intro, commentary or something else so it wouldn't seem so naked and alone.
The only other features include two-and-a-half minutes on how hilarious Seth Green can be, three on translating English into Martian, and another 28 minutes of deleted scenes in 2D (only on the 2D disc).
Final Thoughts
Those pesky aliens sure know how to kill a party -- or at least a film studio. Mars Needs Moms was the final project for ImageMovers Digital, the partnership between Disney and Robert Zemeckis. It didn't do much for the advancement of 3D, either. While the audio and image quality do stand out in this set, there's nothing you need less than Mars Needs Moms.
Product Details
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