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Movies / On DVD / Mars Attacks!
Mars Attacks!

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Mars Attacks! (1996)

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Reviews Counted:55

Fresh:27

Rotten:28

Average Rating:5.7/10

Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Director Tim Burton unleashes MARS ATTACKS!, a vicious, affectionate, brightly-colored homage to 1950s alien invasion movies. When a shiny silver flying saucer lands in the Nevada desert, a group... Director Tim Burton unleashes MARS ATTACKS!, a vicious, affectionate, brightly-colored homage to 1950s alien invasion movies. When a shiny silver flying saucer lands in the Nevada desert, a group of skull-faced Martians exit the gleaming craft. Although they claim to be peaceful, they promptly "vaporize" a gathering of unfortunate Earthlings, kicking off a bizarre high-tech war with wild special effects. This studiously campy sci-fi spoof, based on a series of Topps bubble-gum cards, gleefully parodies not only schlock B-horror movies, but also overblown blockbusters such as INDEPENDENCE DAY. This subversive film is helped along by an all-star cast including Jack Nicholson in dual roles as both a clueless U.S. President (with First Lady Glenn Close) and a Las Vegas sleazebag. The film follows the wacky WAR OF THE WORLDS-like proceedings from the points of view of numerous colorful characters, from the inane U.S. Press Secretary (Martin Short) to a trailer-park family (Lukas Haas and Sylvia Sidney), to singer Tom Jones (as himself). [More]

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Michael J. Fox, Joe Don Baker, Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Short, Lisa Marie, Tom Jones, Natalie Portman, Lukas Haas, Christina Applegate

Director: Tim Burton

Director: Tim Burton
Composer: Danny Elfman
Story: Len Brown, Woody Gelman, Wally Wood, Bob Powell, Norm Saunders
Screenwriter: Jonathan Gems
Producer: Larry J. Franco, Tim Burton

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Mars Attacks!

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
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Unfortunately, it's not very good.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Mars Attacks! wants to be the Dr Strangelove of alien B-movies, but isn't up to the challenge. Instead it's a paceless, overlong, and campy film partly redeemed by a number of hilarious and gruesome alien invasion skits.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
06/27/01
Tom Coates
Tom Coates
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Burton's only failure.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
08/25/08
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

John Waters will weep with envy.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
01/01/00
Walter V. Addiego
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Examiner

A most unpleasant surprise to all those who based their expectations on Burton's previous work.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
05/22/03
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

The film's penchant for repetition is faithful to its '50s source material and is the very quality that turns Mars Attacks! into such a marvelously unstable comedy.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
01/01/00
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

A stillborn affair that could have been -- and should have been -- a whole lot hipper and funnier.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

As sci-fi spoofs go, Mars Attacks! may never be topped.

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
01/01/00
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

A skewed marriage of mainstream pop and Burton's own eccentricity

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Shane Burridge
Shane Burridge
rec.arts.movies.reviews

This may not be the best or funniest effort by Burton. It is his biggest, and a lot of fun, too.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

A knowing and loving tribute to those cheesy B-movies.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

First he made Ed Wood, a tribute to the man fondly recalled as the worst movie director of all time. Now Tim Burton seems to have made a tribute to Wood's work.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment 1 Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This messy masterpiece is the year's funniest comedy and a weird, winking affirmation of the power of the people.

Full Review Source: Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus

Burton is at his funniest when the Martians are zapping away like brats playing a video game.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/27/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

This may not be a Christmas movie, but it sure captures the elusive spirit of the season, and the simple pleasure is contagious.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
04/12/02
Rick Groen
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail

Unlike Burton's tribute to B-movie director Ed Wood or Mel Brooks' parody Young Frankenstein, this movie's self-awareness doesn't work.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Elspeth Haughton
Elspeth Haughton
Apollo Guide

A bizarre combination of eye candy, warped humor, social satire and comedic ultraviolence.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Christine James
Christine James
Boxoffice Magazine

Despite the very slow start, Mars Attacks! delivers the goods.

Full Review Source: NUVO Newsweekly | comment Comment
01/01/00
Edward Johnson-Ott
Edward Johnson-Ott
NUVO Newsweekly

Sadly empty exercise.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Rita Kempley
Rita Kempley
Washington Post

Mars Attacks! is packed with memorable sights and hilariously ridiculous ideas.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
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Latest News for Mars Attacks!

September 22, 2005: Critical Consensus: A Beautiful "Bride," A Bumpy "Flight," And a Bouncy "Bounce"
This week at the movies brings a twisted tale of love from beyond the grave ("Tim Burton's Corpse Bride"), a paranoid thriller at 40,000 feet ("Flightplan")... More...

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