Review of Mars Needs Moms (2011) by Philip S — 02 Sep 2011

Every parent looks forward to the day that they bring a child into the world. But being a parent isn't all the romanticized stuff that some tv shows and movies might have us believe. If there's one moment that every parent dreads, it's the moment when children say they wish they didn't have parents; or that they hate their parents. What parent hasn't had that happen at one point or another? Of course, the kids later realize that what they've said is hurtful, and apologize (with this happening in cycles until the child gets into his/her mid to late 20's). It's a universal theme. So it makes for easy fodder for movies. Just look at Labyrinth, Home Alone, Finding Nemo, or any other number of movies with that theme. Mars Needs Moms is just one of those movies.

In terms of its general theme, Mars Needs Moms is anything but original. But what makes it such an enjoyable movie is the execution of the story. What kid doesn't look up at the stars, and dream of one day going into space; exploring what is considered "the final frontier" (yes that pun was intended, despite the number of Star Wars references in the movie). Combine that with enough pop culture references to make any parent laugh and feel at least a little nostalgic, and audiences get a movie that while it may be unoriginal, it's still funny, endearing and overall enjoyable.

One might think the concept of a kid going to another planet all alone is scary. But Disney has actually succeeded in making it seem like a pretty fun, wild ride. There are even moments in the movie that make the use of 3D technology seem justified. Sadly though, not everyone's eyes can handle it. But that's a discussion for another time. What really makes the movie so fun is the bond between Milo and Gribble. Gribble comes across as kind of a big brother figure for Milo. Audiences are left to assume that Milo's an only child from the story's beginning. So as subtle as it is, it's an important piece of the story. Their friendship is what helps Milo grow up, and realize just how much he really appreciates and needs his mom.

Milo isn't the only one who learns the importance of family in Mars Needs Moms. Ki (voiced by Elisabeth Harnois) is part of a communist-esque regime led by The Supervisor (voiced by Mindy Sterling--iCarly). Ki discovers that the inhabitants of Martian society used to actually have families in her adventure with Milo and Gribble. This leads to the ultimate showdown with The Supervisor. Now, what happens won't be revealed here, for the sake of those who haven't yet seen the movie. Nonetheless, it does lead to a happy ending. Being that it's an animated Disney movie, it couldn't possibly have a sad ending, right? Right. That's all tha'll be said of the ending. Speaking of the ending, there's actually a sort of postlude in the end credits. It's a little bonus for those who sit through the movie's end credits. Again, that won't be revealed here.

Mars Needs Moms is hardly the most original movie ever written, storywise. Countless movies have been made about the importance of family. And there'll probably be more every year. The problem is that while such movies do exist, it seems that they're becoming increasingly rare each year, in favor of far less family friendly fare. That being said, while it's not the most original, or memorable movie ever written, Mars needs Moms is one of the most enjoyable and most family friendly movies to be made in recent history.