Line #9 Film/PrincessOfMars


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/princess_of_mars.jpg]]
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3	''Princess of Mars'' (a.k.a. ''John Carter of Mars'' and ''The Martian Colony Wars'') is a 2009 direct-to-DVD science fiction film made by American independent studio Creator/TheAsylum, loosely based on the 1917 novel ''Literature/APrincessOfMars'' by author Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs.
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5	John Carter (Creator/AntonioSabatoJr) is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a sniper when he is critically wounded by enemy fire. Dying, he agrees to take part in an experimental teleportation procedure that could help his injuries. When he wakes up, he discovers he's been transported to a planet named Mars orbiting Alpha Centauri. As John explores his surroundings, he's captured by a group of aliens. He earns their respect when he helps them save the princess, Dejah Thoris, and later battles an old enemy from Earth.
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7	!!Tropes of Mars:
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9	* AdiposeRex: Tal Hajus, supreme leader of the Tharks, is noticeably larger and fatter than any of his subjects: invoking LargeAndInCharge and this trope in equal measures.
10	* BigCreepyCrawlies: Mars is not only home to {{Giant Spider}}s, but also swarms of giant wasp-like insects, one of which plays a major role in the climax.
11	* ExcrementStatement: After being made prisoner by John Carter, Dejah Thoris flings the content of her pee bucket in his face.
12	* ForcedPrizeFight: Tal Hajus has both John Carter and Tar Tarkas sentenced to the fighting pits and forces them to battle each other in GladiatorGames.
13	* GiantSpider: The Thark patrol which captures is attacked by a pack of giant spiders. John helps to fight them off, thereby earning the respect of Tars Tarkus.
14	* GladiatorGames: Tal Hajus sentences Carter to the fighting pits.
15	* {{Heavyworlder}}: Of the second variety - John Carter is an Earth-normal human on a light-gravity world.
16	* IAteWhat: John Carter is less than impressed to learn that the liquid he has been drinking had been vomited up by a giant grub.
17	* InASingleBound: John Carter is capable of this on Mars, due to being a HeavyWorlder (Earth has more than twice the gravity of Mars).
18	* LargeAndInCharge: Tal Hajus, supreme leader of the Tharks, is noticeably larger and fatter than any of his subjects: invoking AdiposeRex and this trope in equal measures.
19	* {{Mockbuster}}: Originally made to cash in in ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', it was re-titled and re-released when ''Film/JohnCarter'' came out.
20	* NakedOnArrival: John Carter is naked when he arrives on Mars, presumably because his consciousness and genetic information is being beamed to Alpha Centauri and a new body created on the other planet. Of course, the whole teleportation process is only [[HandWave very vaguely explained]], and his new body still has his old tattoos, so who knows?
21	* PercussivePrevention: Carter stops Dejah Thoris from staging a futile LastStand against the Tharks by knocking her out and claiming her as his prisoner.
22	* RocketRide: The Martian flyers are essentially rockets with handlebars.
23	* SettingUpdate: While Burrough's ''Barsoom'' novels feature John Carter as an American Civil War soldier, the film features Carter as an American soldier in contemporary Afghanistan.
24	* SlaveCollar: When he is captured by the Tharks, John Carter has a slave collar placed around his neck and he is dragged along by a chain attached to it.
25	* StabTheScorpion: While being held prisoner, Dejah Thoris snatches a knife from Tars Tarkas' belt and stabs at his back. She then holds up the knife, showing the [[GiantSpider spiderling]] impaled on the tip.
26	* SuperStrength: With muscles built for Earth's gravity, John Carter is far stronger than anyone else on the planet.
27	* TranslatorMicrobes: The Tharks force-feed Carter a bug that allows him to understand all languages.

Context Film / PrincessOfMars