Mars Attacks
MARS ATTACKS! (12)
D: Tim Burton
Warner Bros. (Tim Burton & Larry
Franco)
US 1996
103 mins
Science Fiction/Comedy
W: Jonathan Gems [based on the trading card
series created by Topps]
DP: Peter Suschitzky
Ed: Chris Lebenzon
Mus: Danny Elfman
PD: Wynn Thomas
Jack Nicholson (President James Dale / Art Land),
Glenn Close (Marsha Dale), Annette Bening (Barbara Land), Michael J. Fox (Jason Stone), Pierce Brosnan (Prof. Donald Kessler), Sarah Jessica Parker (Nathalie Lake), Martin Short (Jerry
Ross), Rod Steiger (Gen. Decker), Lukas Haas (Richie Norris), Natalie Portman (Taffy Dale)
The comedic flip side to 1996's other alien invasion
film, Independence Day (qv), Mars Attacks is a throwback to the B-movies of the 1950's and 1960's with both its style and content.
Based on characters from a trading card game, it's all
quite tongue in cheek as menacing-looking Martians visit, bringing messages of peace as they disintegrate all and sundry with their high-tech weaponry. Jack Nicholson plays a dual role as
the President of the USA and a redneck casino owner and there's plenty more big names in the all-star cast.
Technically, it isn't as good as Roland Emmerich's
science fiction blockbuster, but it's by far more fun.
6/10
