Mars Needs Moms (2011)

Let's hear it for moms! This film celebrates those moms who work tirelessly at home raising us, and getting no respect from their offspring. It was a quiet weekend and the boys wanted to see "Mars Needs Moms", so since I'm not one to say no to a movie we all went. It was time well spent, and we all laughed. The film is about Martians needing moms because you see they’re incapable of raising their own offspring, which every so often emerge from the ground. Yeah I know, I know from the ground? What are the people at Walt Disney studios smoking? I mean really Martian babies from Mars itself? But remember it’s a film for the kids, and my two boys didn't blink. So what the heck. Suspension of belief is the name of the game, and funny thing is it works. The film gets to the point, and the action starts soon after, and that's all that matters. My boys seemed enraptured by the Martian world, and they said they looked cool. My boys especially liked the boy Martians who lived in the junkyard.


But I'm getting ahead of myself, and I'm revealing a bit too much, and I don't want to do that. I didn't expect too much from the film, but it does have its touching moments, and it does have a message in it. That message is Moms are the best", and with simple logic like that who can argue with it.

In essence it about a boy out to save his mom, and how heroic is that. Every young boy wants to do that, and the film feeds on that. It even has a message about uniformity and the beauty of individuality, but don't quote me on it. It's just a fun movie, and it does what it’s suppose to do.

The animation style is interesting, but there is no wow factor. Maybe because we've seen it already and it's nothing new. Maybe we're all a bit jaded. It's the same technology Robert Zemeckis used for the movie "Polar Express". Zemeckis is a producer on this film as well. The use of real actors is unique and adds to the look of the film. I think Joan Cusack does a great job as the mom, and Seth Green is pretty good as the boy. The filmmakers its seems replaced Green's dialogue after the production was finished due to him not sounding like a little kid. This does not distract from the film, and it is enjoyable to watch. Dan Fogler does a good job as Gribble too, and he's pretty funny as well.

So is it worth it? I have to say if your have boys who like sci-fi and adventure I'd say yes. It's a good family picture, and it's fun to watch. There's enough here to satisfy all, and when all is said and done "Moms do rule". Enjoy!