Mars Needs Moms (3D) MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +2 Content: +1

Directed by Simon Wells. Main Actors (voices): Seth Green, Dan Fogler, Joan Cusack, Elisabeth Hamois.

FILM SYNOPSIS:Based on a picture book by Berkeley Breathed, this I-MAX animated sci-fi action film targets a preschool audience, catapulting youngsters into a strange world of robotic female armies populating Mars (Stepford Wives 2011?). The men are considered worthless and are confined to a huge pit down under the stark computerized space headquarters. Martians scouting for moms to take care of a new crop of hatchlings, which are baby Martians that pop out of the planet’s surface every 25 years, land their space ship in the backyard of young Milo (Seth Green). They observed Mom (Joan Cusack) discipline Milo for refusing to eat his broccoli and abduct her. Milo sees his mom being taken away and sneaks onto the space ship before it leaves his backyard. What will happen to Mom? Can Milo save her? More importantly, will the intended audience’s attention be held for 88 tedious minutes? 3D action-packed scenes of outer space, space ships and some suspense will appeal to those who know something about space exploration.

PREVIEW REVIEW:Mars Needs Moms may raise some very interesting questions from children about the “birds and the bees” as babies pop out of the planet’s surface, where are the daddies, and why are all the women soldiers instead of mommies? Also, some may be frightened when the Martians extract the memories from the brains of their human captives. Ultimately the traditional love of family trumps a Godless civilization with its sophisticated technology as Earthlings and Martians learn respect for each other. However, it’s troubling to see impressionable young children exposed to a completely fictional and rather frightening view of life in space when we know one picture is worth 1,000 words. Even without objectionable language, profanities, or sexual references, the PG rating is certainly warranted.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures