If you’ve ever gotten into a fight with your mother, then Mars Needs Moms is for you. The film is an adaptation of a book illustrated by American cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, who is most famous for his comic strip Bloom County. The 3-D animated film chronicles a kid’s journey to rescue his mom after she’s been abducted by aliens.
Nine-year-old Milo is just like any other boy his age: He hates doing his chores, vegetables disgust him and he tries to outwit his mother every chance he gets. Despite these characteristics, Milo is a good kid who generally does what he is told. And it’s because of his mother’s ability to control him that the Martians have chosen her as their prototype.
Every 25 years, the Martians scour Earth looking for the perfect mother. When they find her, they kidnap her and extract her maternal ability. They then program robots with the earthling’s abilities to raise the children and voilà: you’ve got law-abiding Martians for the next 25 years.
On his journey, Milo meets Gribble, an overzealous human who, we later find out, has been on Mars ever since his own mother was abducted. Milo also gets help from an unlikely source: a Martian who has switched sides. Ki, who speaks perfect English, is a hippie Martian who is eager to help.
Early on, Milo has the epiphany that his mom does more than just tell him what to do. He realizes just how important a mother’s role is in his life, which is what fuels him to get her back.
The movie embodies everything you would expect from a Disney film: The protagonist reaches some sort of moral crossroad and a villain relentlessly tries to prevent him from achieving his goal, all while being introduced to a host of characters who will eventually help save the day. Although the film rarely deviates from the classic Disney setup, it provides a touching look at the relationship between mother and child.
On the flip side, the film also enforces stereotypes about what a family is. It not-so-subtly sends the message that people are not meant to be raised by moms alone and that a family consists of a mommy, a daddy and a child.
The movie is full of action and keeps you wondering what misfortune will be next even through the formulaic script. It’s not just for people who have children. It’s for everyone. Mars Needs Moms is one of those films that even if you know what is going to happen in the end, you still want to sit through it — because it simply makes you feel good.
