This is just a big rollercoaster of a movie, filled with dazzling effects and funny creatures and the requisite five-hankie "I love you, Mom" ending. But then, there are some weird gender political battles at play here.
– Tom Long,
Detroit News,
11 Mar 2011
rotten:
So, okay, men are completely irresponsible slobs, which is why women need to be unceasing nags. Check. Great message for the kids.
– Stephen Whitty,
Newark Star-Ledger,
12 Mar 2011
rotten:
They took a small story, made it complicated and burdensome, filmed some actors performing it, turned those actors into affectless, mechanical cartoons, converted it to 3-D, and dropped it in theaters. Wheeee!
– Eric D. Snider,
Film.com,
21 Mar 2011
rotten:
The film looks neither fully real nor fully imagined, which could be forgiven if Mars Needs Moms had something more to offer besides its nifty technology.
– Rafer Guzman,
Newsday,
25 Mar 2011
rotten:
The 'Polar Express'-style CG-meets-live-action visuals are creepy and flat, the characters are largely nonexistent and the story takes so many short cuts that it becomes meaningless...