Saturday, 16 April 2011

FILM: Mars Needs Moms 3D (dir: Simon Wells, 2011)


"Is there going to be a lot of running?"


Mars Needs Moms is a classic fable, told simply with a breezy, focused narrative that zips along from one chase to the next falling-down-a-long-tunnel-in-3D to arrive at a suitably large-scale climax which contains a remarkably near-traumatic moment for a PG movie. The level of CG detail is strong and uses colour well, and the use of 3D to create expansive environments both on and under the Martian surface looks good. Sound design is terrific and John Powell provides another wonderful score. There are elements in this film that show a significant step forward in the use of motion-capture in terms of facial expressiveness and movement, ably demonstrated by the raw mo-cap studio footage recap of the movie that plays alongside the end credits. Mars Needs Moms is decent, well-made and reasonable entertainment, which will lose much when stripped of the 3D element.

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