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Mars Attacks! (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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352 comments in total

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222 out of 265 people found the following comment useful :-
Misunderstood ???, 7 January 2004
Author: Coventry from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls

There's one guarantee in life : When you're reading 5 reviews on Mars Attacks, FOUR of them are negative ones! Why, I ask?? It's really hard for me to believe that all these movie-lovers fail to see the film like Tim Burton intended it. Mars Attacks! is a great film and - above all - a very effective parody. Burton takes the opportunity to spoof and laugh with almost every form of nowadays filth...Politics, religion, the army, television, greed in Las Vegas and God knows what else. Mars Attacks! is the purest form of cinema anarchy I've seen so far, and I really want to encourage you to see it again if you didn't like it the first time. Tim Burton is a genius. Practically all movies he did before ( and after ) Mars Attacks! prove that. Do you really believe that he would deliver a failure? Or do you think the entire brilliant cast would agree to starring in an inferior production?? They all acknowledged the genius of this movie...why can't the audience do the same?

Mars Attacks! is a very remarkable achievement for yet another reason. This very well might be only film that cost a fortune in order to look cheap! Burton probably wasted a huge budget to make the settings and the design look like they did in the typical 50's Science Fiction movies. Burton is a big fan of these movies and he saved neither money or trouble to make his satire look like those films. The direct tribute to Edward Wood in the opening credits is an obvious example of this as well, I think. Perhaps, this would be the only real thing you can accuse Tim Burton of...Mars Attacks! is a very personal project of his. I really doubt he worried much about the question whether Mars Attacks! would become a success or not. He told his tale and he clearly enjoyed doing so...Why wouldn't you enjoy watching it then?

Note: This review is dedicated to Mailen. A great regular user here on this site and I know for a fact that she adores this film as well...

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169 out of 209 people found the following comment useful :-
ACK!ACK! ACK!ACK!, 1 June 2004
Author: stiv-7 from Regina SK Canada

Anybody who hated this movie missed the point. This is a fun little satire on the American culture of assimilation, the great cultural melting pot. It dares to ask the question: What if another group of people doesn't want to be adopted into the American consumerist culture? The results are hilarious, as we have a group of Martians double-talking their way through the annihilation of the US of A, and the only people capable of stopping them are those who could really care less about the American Way: the President's daughter, who shows more respect for culture and history than her parents could ever muster; and Richie the donut store kid, whose primary concern is the welfare of others, specifically his grandmother, who ironically provides him with a way out of this mess. I've only seen this film twice, but it still makes me laugh my head off and provides me with the antidote for the jingoistic finale to the other alien invasion film of 1996, Independence Day.

In short, say what you want about Mars Attacks! If you don't understand it, that's not my problem.

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82 out of 103 people found the following comment useful :-
A guilty pleasure that grows on you, 30 January 2005

Author: Bob Stout from Houston, Texas, USA

When I first saw this in the theater with my granddaughter, we both found to be pretty lame and disappointing, but not without some wit to it. Since then, it's been on the cable channels multiple times, and I always find myself watching it again. I really hate to admit it, but this thing has really grown on me - so much so that I finally bought the DVD.

When I first saw it, I wouldn't have given it more than a 4 out of 10, but after repeated viewings, I now give it a 9. I can't really say why, and I certainly can't justify it in any rational sense, but it all just works for me. The wry wit, the blatant social and political commentary, I find it all immensely satisfying.

My confession's over, I'll do my penance. But I have to also say that my granddaughter's opinion of it has never wavered. She considers this movie as evidence of my incipient senility...

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76 out of 92 people found the following comment useful :-
Honestly,Mars attacked!, 13 May 2004

Author: doyce4sub from atlanta

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

After reading some of the other comments, there's only one thing everyone should keep in mind. This film is for laughs and is spoofing the early 50's sci-fi films that some of us grew up watching. In the early film, War of the Worlds, the Martians were killed by micro organisms that were in our atmosphere. Here they were killed by Slim Whitman music. How about when the Martians were chasing people and zapping them while the "translator" machine keep saying "Don't run,we are your friends". The Martians like Tom Jones so much that they joined his back up singers. Every time I watch this film I see something else that's there for a "joke". Don't try to make this movie fit the sci-fi mold; just watch it for the spoofs and enjoy yourself.

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59 out of 71 people found the following comment useful :-
Music saves the earth from the ruthless martians, 6 March 2001
Author: pbhowmick from california, USA

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This movie is hilarious. It works at all levels. Its funny, its original in its approach, and is a perfect satire on all those euphoric sci-fi movies. Its a laugh all the way roller-coaster with a script that never stops to shock you. It is such a pleasant diversion from the serious, heavy and pretentious sci fi disaster films full of preachings and heroism of a few.

The characters in the film are damn funny and very well developed. The huge cast has been assembled so well by the casting director, that I feel each and every actor was born to play his/her character in the film. The double dose of Jack Nicholson is awesome. He plays the Texan millionaire cowboy so well, that I couldn't identify him when he appeared the first time. Tim Burton does a commendable job of building up so many characters with so little time. He doesn't waste any time at all, every one gets a few minutes as the movie is on the run from the word go, but still each character is rock solid. I wonder how was he able to manage Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnon, Annette Benning, Glenn Rose, Michael J Fox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Natalie Portman, Danny Devito, Pam Grier and Tom Jones. Each one of them deliver a worthy performance. The special effects are too good. They are not sleek and heavy as in other big budget films, but unpolished and cocky, in line with the message of the film. The martians are hilarious, but devilish at the same time. The music has the touch of 60s sci fi films which only adds to the effect.

Finally, here is a film which doesn't try to be wise and sensible in a cliched way about our fantasies of life in outer space, instead takes a lighter and jollier approach.

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96 out of 146 people found the following comment useful :-
The best movie of all time. Or maybe one of the worst., 10 December 1998
Author: Rodrigo Valdebenito from Santiago, Chile

This is one of these movies you absolutely like or absolutely dislike. I liked it, sure. It's such a sarcastic view of America: its people, its government, its army, its television, its culture, everything and everyone falls under Tim Burton's incredible axe. Many talented stars gather for an incredible script. It is unbelievably funny, absurd and full of contradictions and nuttiness. It's like a mixture of Star Wars, Animaniacs and the Clockwork Orange. For sure, you will like it a lot and believe it is the best movie you have ever seen or you won't understand a thing and feel disappointed. If you like Jim Carrey or Brad Pitt, please go and choose another movie.

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70 out of 99 people found the following comment useful :-
This is where Independence Day is put to shame., 25 September 2002

Author: vasco_cid (vasco_cid@hotmail.com) from Chamusca, Portugal

As someone stated before, with tremendous accuracy, Mars Attacks! is one of those movies in which you rarely encounter a mid term: either you love it or you hate it.

Personally, I have to say that I stand on the "loved it" part. Mars Attacks! is great entertainment at it's best, and Tim Burton did an incredibly good job, as usual. One of the things that seems to bother me the most is that some people may not understand the purpose and the message of the film: it's mission is to spoof all those action and Sci-fi movies that abound on clichés and laughable scenes; in which Independence Day is one clear example. Independence Day is bad, relies too much on SFX, and abuse the audience's sanity, believing us to be fools. This is the idea that Jonathan Gemes (screenwriter) and Tim Burton(director) had in mind.

Also one high point of the movie is it's main attraction to it's cast: Box Office names like Jack Nicholson; Glenn Close; Danny DeVito; Pierce Brosnan; Sarah Jessica Parker; Michael J Fox; (th great) Natalie Portman; Lukas Haas; Jack Black; Pam Grier and Annette Bening, all of them come together, representing a part of society and social status that they spoof themselves. The special effects are also a funny part, because some of them are very well achieved and some of them are really cheesy: that's their purpose.

Anyway, much more shouldn't be said, since Mars Attacks! is one of those films that you have to see for yourself, and ultimately evaluate. 9 ou of 10

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52 out of 68 people found the following comment useful :-
Mars Attacks! and Revives 50 B-Films!, 12 October 2002

Author: Jay-90 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The greatest aspect of _Mars Attacks!_ is that it is not supposed to be great. The film was shot on a low budget, and many of the crew, namely actors Jack Nicholson and Danny DeVito, and director, Tim Burton, agreed to make the film as an homage to the TOPS Bubblegum wrapper comic series.

The film works because it doesn't present itself as being more than what it is: a parody of '50's B-films. Throughout the film, obvious references to those B-film classics, like _The Day the Earth Stood Still_ and _This Island Earth_, are present. When the Martians land in Nevada (alleged home of Area 54), Burton reminds us of those famous scenes in which the U. S. army battles the aliens with crude artillery, matched against the sophisticated ray guns of their adversaries. Because the sci-fi B-films of the '50's were infused with anxiety, precipitated by the McCarthy era, Burton plays upon this context when the Martians visit Congress and destroy every senator and representative in attendance ("We still have 2 out of 3 branches of government working for us," President Nicholson reminds his fellow Americans).

Aside from the riotous parodying which takes place, the film draws upon a cast of Oscar-nominated talent. However, realizing their true motivation for such a film as _Mars Attacks!_, Oscar nominees Glenn Close, Annette Bening, and Jack Nicholson camp it up. Immediately, an audience member acknowledges that these actors know the Academy will not reward them for their efforts in this film. However, an informed audience member would see that their acting, meant to be campy and hammed up, is at the heart of their performances. Given the fact that these are award-winning actors acting poorly, any viewer would have to applaud the performances as "sheer talent-less."

I give this film 9 out of 10 points. While not a great film, by any stretch of the imagination, it is a fun film which fulfills its purpose. Nicholson, DeVito, and Burton can be pleased with the results of their desire to bring the famous TOPS story to the screen. In an age in which Hollywood either promotes lavishly expensive, high-tech scripts or promotes artistic plot-driven storylines, _Mars Attacks!_ finds its own place and does not put on the facade of being something other than it is, an homage and revival of the classic '50's sci-fi B-film.

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42 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :-
Very enjoyable sci-fi spoof, 22 February 2002
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

When Martians make contact with earth opinion is split into two camps between seeking peace or preparing for defence. When the inital meeting is turned into a massacre by a misunderstanding surrounding the dove of peace, the camp seeking war seem to have the stronger case. However the Martian Ambassator apologises and is allowed to meet before the joint houses in the US. However when the Martians use this as an way to wipe out America's leaders in one move. Security is stepped up and the world is put on a war footing, however the martians seem only interesting in destruction and death and deliver both with a wickedly cruel sense of humour.

We all know that Tim Burton and sci-fi blockbuster movies don't always deliver the goods (planet of the apes anyone?). This was released in the same summer as Independence Day and ID came off much, much better. That was mainly because ID gave the people what they wanted - they wanted a little comedy, lots of fancy FX and explosions, nothing different that would cause them to think in any way, and the good guys (the Americans) must win and save the earth! Burton gave them most of that, but it was just too different!

What we have here is a ID style story but it is infused with Burton's manic vision. This takes away from the blockbuster appeal of the average ID, but it makes it a much funnier, wierder experience. Some of it doesn't work, Nicholson's multirole performance is nowhere near the standard of Peter Sellers in Dr Strangelove (which he clearly aspires to) and some of the cameos are forced and silly. However all the stuff with the aliens works really well because it is so OTT and it knows it - Burton just lets his vision run wild. In place of ID destruction of the white house, we have the aliens knocking down the Easter Island statues like 10 pin bowling etc. Where ID took itself very seriously, Mars Attacks plays like a spoof of the 1950's sci-fi and comes off much better for it.

As for the ending - of course it's absurd! Yes it's a bit of a leap to imagine that the aliens would be defeated in this way, but it doesn't matter because it's all tongue in cheek. It is no more stupid than ID which sees the aliens destroyed by Goldblum and Smith flying a spaceship (Smith flies it because he's seen one before - the scientists who have been studying it aren't allowed, even though they know how it works), into the core of the mothership, downloading a computer virus from Windows 98 onto the alien system and clearing off! Both endings are dumb, but at least Mars Attacks doesn't try to cover it up.

There are so many actors here that to try and say who does well and who doesn't would take ages. So here we good. Good -Nicholson (as the president), Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, MJ Fox, Steiger, Pam Grier, Lukas Haas, Jim Brown and Lisa Marie. Bad - Glenn Close, De Vito, Short and a pointless "oh look it's...." cameo from Tom Jones. The actors given screen time are good but stars wheeled out for novelty value are a bit wasted generally.

Overall this may not be to everyone's tastes. When it come out everyone seemed to expect another ID style film. However Burton's mad vision and comic touches make this a very enjoyable spoof.

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35 out of 49 people found the following comment useful :-
We Come in Peace!, 28 August 2006

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

When the USA satellites photograph many flying saucers coming to Earth, the American President James Dale has a meeting with his advisors. He is convinced by Professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan) that Martians would be a developed culture and therefore peaceful by nature, in spite of the warnings of General Decker (Rod Steiger). The authorities, some civilians and the press prepare a welcome committee for the aliens, but they realize that Mars is actually attacking Earth.

"Mars Attack!" is one of the most hilarious and entertaining movie of Tim Burton. Using a parody to the sci-fi of the 50's and like a shotgun, he criticizes the politicians and their greed to be popular; the arrogance and lack of humility of some intellectuals; the lack of sensibility of the army; the lack of ethics in the press; the shallow behavior of the first lady; and some silly cults. In the other side, he highlights the importance of friendship, loyalty and love. I particularly like very much the characters of Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan and Rod Steiger in the cast that is actually a constellation. Unfortunately Jack Black dies in the very beginning, because his character was also very funny. This movie is one of my favorite cult-movies, and a great homage to Ed Wood ("Plan 9 from Outer Space"). My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Marte Ataca!" ("Mars Attacks!")

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