Film Review: Mars Needs Moms

Rating: 4/10 - Bad

Mars needs moms is based on a children’s book by the cartoonist Berkeley Breathed. It involves a race of harsh Martian women who overcome their men and kidnap Earth mothers because of their superior child-rearing skills. The story follows a young boy on a quest to rescue his mom from the Martians.

Director: Simon Wells. Screenplay: Simon Wells and Wendy Wells. Producers: Robert Zemeckis , Jack Rapke , Steve Starkey and Steven Boyd. Cinematographer: Robert Presley. Editor: Wayne Wahrman Studio: Walt Disney Pictures. Starring:  (Voice Cast) Seth Green, Tom Everett Scott, Joan Cusack, Elisabeth Harnois, Dan Fogler, Dee Bradley Baker, Mindy Sterling Running time: 88 Minutes. Age Restriction: PG

Milo (voice of Seth Green), a nine year old rebellious boy, is starting his Summer holiday and looking forward to all the adventures he has ahead. He has an argument with his mom when he didn’t eat and broccoli and ended up getting grounded. Milo then wishes he didn’t have a mom. His wish then comes true later that night when Martians kidnap his mom to use her for her ‘momness’ on their planet. The Earth mom’s are used to rear the children on Mars.

Milo then begins his quest to rescue his mom. He stows away on a spaceship and heads off to Mars. He then finds another Earthling, Gribble (voice of Dan Fogler), who also came to Mars to save his mom. Gribble was unable to save his mom and ended up staying on the planet and befriending a Martian called Ki (voice of Elisabeth Harnois) and has a bionic pet Two Cat (voice of Dee Bradley Baker). With the help of this trio Milo is able to track down his mom.

The story behind the Martians is that they are born from the ground every five years. Robots then separate the males from the females. The males are sent into a garbage dump, where they spend a very simple life. Each of the females in then placed in the care of a nanny robot. The nannies need an earthling mom to teach them the maternal ways. The Earth moms then die after they have given all their maternal memories to the nanny robots.

All the females on Mars are part of a matriarchal society, they are very technologically based and unable to give any physical affection. The Supervisor, who is the head of the planet, controls all the goings on.

Once Milo has got his mother and they are heading homeward, Milo’s space helmet breaks and he begins to battle to breathe in the Martian air. Milo’s mom then gives him her helmet and puts herself at risk. Gribble managers to get the helmet he was initially going to use for the rescue of his mother and gives it to Milo’s mom. All ends happily as Milo and his mom get back to Earth safely. Gribble decides to stay on Mars as he has made his life there. There is then scenes of the male and female Martians working together to raise the children. Milo and his mom showed them the power of a mother’s love for her child.

Verdict: This film lacks something special and definitely is not one of Disney’s best. It has a few witty lines that will go over the children’s heads and give the adult viewers a bit of comedy. I would not recommend going to the cinema to watch this film unless you have a young child who you are taking to go watch a film. It is worth waiting for the DVD or even for it to come on TV.

Mars Needs Moms is out in theatres now and is available in 3D at select venues.