MARS ATTACKS!
A film review by Joe Blenkle
Copyright 1996 Joe Blenkle
(**1/2 out of ****) Rated PG-13
Almost predictably so, MARS ATTACKS!, a new film by Tim Burton and Warner Brothers Pictures is dumb and mindless, but to such an extent that the film is really funny.
Basically the premise behind the movie is that a bunch of little green men with very large heads decide that they like Earth a whole lot better than Mars and set out to conquer the planet.
MARS ATTACKS! is actually based on a set of trading cards that were released for a short run in 1962. Due to the horrifying images on some of these cards, they were pulled from the stores and vending machines after only a few months. I personally remember these cards as a kid and they scared me to death!
Fortunately, "MARS ATTACKS!" takes a lighter approach to the alien invasion theme and although some of the scenes might scare the younger children, they by in large are more humorous than anything else.
The film is headlined by an all-star cast including the likes of Jack Nicholson (as the President), Martin Short, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Danny DeVito, Glenn Close and Tom Jones.
"MARS ATTACKS!" clearly spoofs some of the great old science fiction "B" films, as well as some of the newer releases.
SF aficionados will clearly see a lot of elements from that classic EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS as well as the more recent INDEPENDENCE DAY. But the silliness of the film is still its main attraction.
After a fleet of flying saucers is seen heading toward Earth, it's marked as either the greatest event civilization has ever known or a precursor to impending doom.
A meeting is set up between the aliens and representatives of the United States, at which time the alien ambassador and his guards open fire on the thousands of people gathered at a remote desert site.
The President (Nicholson) thinks this may have just been a "cultural misunderstanding," so he beam a message into space inviting the aliens back. They come back to address Congress and offer an apology, at which time they again open fire, wiping out most of the legislative branch of the U.S. government.
It finally sinks in that these aliens aren't nice guys and it's Earth vs. Mars in an all-out war of the worlds.
I don't want to give too much of this film away because half the fun is seeing it on the screen and not quite knowing what to expect next.
The special effects in the movie are very well done and the actors put in a superb performance fighting little green men and spaceships that weren't actually there. The Martians were created as three-dimensional computer generated characters by Industrial Light and Magic, which has previously done the effects on movies like TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, FORREST GUMP, and JURASSIC PARK.
"I was very lucky to have such great actors working against imaginary green men," says Burton, whose credits also include PEE-WEE'S BIG ADEVENTURE, BEETLEJUICE, BATMAN, and ED WOOD. "That was the most surreal thing. All of these great actors came in, and they basically reverted to play-acting. They all got into the spirit of it and it was a joy to watch them."
If you are a sci-fi fan in general, the movie may leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. But if you're a fan of all those old "B" science-fiction movies from the 40s and 50s, you'll love the look of MARS ATTACKS!. It's just dumb enough to work and just good enough to hold your interest, although some of the scenes are a little slow developing and leave you wishing they'd get on with it.
MARS ATTACKS! runs 105 minutes and is rated PG-13. The film stars: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Benning, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jressica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Lisa Marie and Sylvia Sidney (most of whom are disinigrated at various points in the movie). Directed by Tim Burton. Produced by Tim Burton and Larry Franco. Screen Story and Screenplay by Jonathan Gems.
This review, photos, upcoming attractions, links and more can be found on my movie review web page at: http://www.calweb.com/~jblenkle/movies - stop by and visit! Guest reviews welcomed - email me at jblenkle@calweb.com
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