Written, directed, and edited with the offhand shoddiness of a day worker thinking about his evening beer.
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (2001)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:99
Fresh:19
Rotten:80
Average Rating:3.6/10
Consensus: John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars is not one of Carpenter's better movies, filled as it is with bad dialogue, bad acting, confusing flashbacks, and scenes that are more campy than scary.
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: In the year 2176, Earth has colonized Mars, and all positions of power are held by women. Police Lieutenant Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) is assigned to take a crew via train from the metropolis of... In the year 2176, Earth has colonized Mars, and all positions of power are held by women. Police Lieutenant Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) is assigned to take a crew via train from the metropolis of Chryste to the deserted mining town of Shining Station to capture an extremely dangerous convict, Desolation Williams (Ice Cube). When Ballard and her crew arrive at Shining Station, an eerily deserted town, they find not only Williams, but also scientist Dr. Whitlock (Joanna Cassidy), who has secluded herself in the colony for safety. She tells Ballard and her crew that a mining project released a mysterious cloud from beneath the planet's surface. It is possessing the colonists, causing them to hunt down and kill off any non-possessed beings. Ballard and her crew decide that they must destroy the possessed beings for the good of the planet, a job which is more difficult than anyone predicts. John Carpenter's 17th theatrical feature combines action, horror, and sci-fi with thematic elements from earlier works (most notably ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and THE THING). Rough around the edges with lots of energy and a sense of fun, GHOSTS OF MARS is a spirited genre cocktail. [More]
Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Pam Grier
Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, Joanna Cassidy
Director: John Carpenter
Director: John Carpenter
Screenwriter: Larry Sulkis
Producer: Sandy King
Studio: Screen Gems
Reviews for John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars
...there is an artificiality to the whole thing that never lets you forget you are watching a movie.
The acting is so pallid that you're never sure the cast members quite get the jokes.
One heaping plate of sci-fi cheese, a film that looks like it got lost on its way to the video shelves and ended up in theaters by mistake.
It's like watching a John Carpenter greatest-hits reel done by a rank amateur.
Once you've seen one beheading or similarly bloody killing, you've seen them all, and that's all of any vague interest that Carpenter has to offer here.
Sci-fi fans will also recognize this plot from "Pitch Black" and "Red Planet," both of which are superior to this film.
A flawed but worthy effort from an auteur whose near-misses are more entertaining than many others' hits.
There's no reason on Earth, or Mars for that matter, for anyone to waste their time, money or energy in seeing this film.
Carpenter has brought his curatorial care to the nuances, and the movie achieves wipeout energy.
Latest News for John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars
January 17, 2007:
Disney Signs On with "John Carter of Mars"
Not too long ago Jon Favreau was this close to directing "John Carter of Mars" for Paramount Pictures, but the studio let their option on the property lapse -- and we... More...
May 13, 2005:
John Carpenter to Return to Directing with "Apostle"
Yahoo! brings some news that should please the horror fans out there. Seems that legendary scare-master John Carpenter ("Halloween") will be returning to the... More...
June 06, 2001:
Clea DuVall, Pam Grier, and Joanna Cassidy have joined the cast. ![]()
More...
June 06, 2001:
And about how the fighting in his film eschews those trendy Matrix moves. 'There wasn't a lot of flying around at the Alamo,' says Carpenter. ![]()
More...
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