Mars Attacks! (1996)

Good watch, could watch again, but it's hard to honestly recommend.

This is one of those movies that is good because it is bad, whether or not that is done on purpose, for the purposes of parody. Otherwise it's just a good old jump in "The Way Back Machine" to see a litany of cameos or cheap parts by almost anyone who was famous in the mid-1990s. Though I do feel like most of the actors I liked were essentially wasted, but it is possible that was by design so the Martians could keep the focus for the majority of the movie.

Rethinking on the movie almost makes me want a modernization, it has so many little quirks and nuances that really brings it to a special experience. Even if you think it looks terrible, throw this on your queque and slot it in for a Bad Movie Night.

**A film full of black humor, and for that very reason difficult to digest for many people.**

Black humor is doomed to be understood by very few, and this film, which is drenched in black humor from beginning to end, paid the price, becoming a minor failure. I believe that, even today, it is one of the less well-appreciated films of director Tim Burton's career, who made films considerably worse than this one.

The action takes place in the 90s and portrays a hostile Martian invasion of our planet. The US government (obviously, the other countries have virtually disappeared from the map and only France is mentioned lightly to show the total destruction of the country) is understandably tense: there are military personnel sexually aroused by the idea of using nuclear weapons against the invaders, there are scientists absolutely convinced that Martian technological superiority is reason enough to believe strongly in the good intentions of the visitors, there are politicians worried about the elections. Of course, when it comes time to showdown, the visitors get the upper hand.

Perhaps the best thing about this film is the strength and talent of its cast, filled with good actors who wanted to work under Burton's guidance. Jack Nicholson stands out naturally in the role of the president and does an interesting job, being well assisted by a discreet Glenn Close and a young Natalie Portman. Lisa Marie plays an unforgettable role where she doesn't have to say a single word, while Danny DeVito seems to revisit some previous characters to do his job here, which is little (but it's also true that he wasn't given much to do) . Tom Jones makes an interesting appearance. Pierce Brosnan looks like he's having fun while parodying himself. We also have good contributions from Sarah Jessica Parker, Annette Bening, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger and Jack Black.

Besides, the film is a gigantic satire on the sci-fi B cinema of the 50s and 60s, where it was common to see martian invaders and visitors. The cinematography is colorful, light, and the environment is light, funny. You can feel that the film doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't want to be taken too seriously. So it works reasonably well, at least for those who accept dark humor well.

**_Tim Burton’s spoof of ’50s sci-fi flicks with an outstanding cast_**

Shot in 1996 and released at the end of that year, Burton used the Mars Attacks trading cards from the ’60s as the template for his extraterrestrials. The film plays like the Mad magazine version of “Independence Day,” which beat this to the theaters by 5.5 months the same year. Yet Burton said he didn’t know anything about that movie and it was purely coincidental. Aside from the trading cards, “Mars Attacks!” spoofs ’50s flicks like “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “War of the Worlds.”

It bombed domestically and didn’t do much better worldwide (although it was a little more popular in Europe). Either audiences had had their fill after the overlong (and disappointing) “Independence Day” or they found the movie silly and boring; perhaps both. Since then, it has gone on to achieve cult status.

While the idea is great and you can’t beat the production quality of Burton’s movies, it is somewhat disappointing on first watch and dull in ways, particularly the first half. However, there’s so much zany creative energy augmented by the second-to-none cast that it’s worth checking out and works better on repeat viewings. You just have to be in the right mood to appreciate it.

There’s a subversive element with the humans being lampooned while the Martians are having a blast with their conquest. Then you have entertaining bits like the Martians toppling the iconic Easter Island statues like bowling pins, not to mention the amusing commentary on country music in the last act.

As far as the “second-to-none cast” goes, there’s the likes of Jack Nicholson (in a dual role), Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Joe Don Baker, Lisa Marie, Christina Applegate, Natalie Portman and several others.

In the beauty department Janice Rivera rises to the fore as Cindy, the casino girl, with nods to Lisa Marie and Applegate. Burton could’ve done better on this front considering the resources.

Lastly, I love how Jim Brown and Tom Jones ultimately become the main protagonists. The former plays an ex-boxer stuck entertaining tourists dressed up as a Pharaoh at a Vegas casino, while the latter amusingly plays himself. If you don’t like the first half, stick around because the movie gains momentum for a superior second half. Or perhaps it’s just a matter of acclimating to Burton’s bizarre style and the world he creates.

It runs 1 hour, 45 minutes, and was shot mostly in DC, Kansas and Las Vegas, but also Inglewood in Los Angeles for the donut shop, etc.

GRADE: B

**Score: 8/10 — A Gleefully Deranged, One-of-a-Kind Satirical Spectacle**

*Mars Attacks!* is the cinematic equivalent of a sugar rush from a radioactive candy bar—bright, chaotic, and utterly unforgettable. It is a film that **goes places only Tim Burton would dare to take a movie**, blending 1950s B-movie kitsch with nuclear-grade satire, all delivered with a straight-faced, ghoulish glee that is uniquely his own. From its all-star cast playing paper-thin archetypes to its gloriously crude, brain-exploding aliens, it is a relentless, hilarious, and **very dark humour** ride from start to finish.

**What Makes It a Burtonian Triumph:**

- **A Tone of Perfect, Unholy Balance:** Burton walks an impossible tightrope. The film is at once a loving homage to cheesy sci-fi classics and a savage, nihilistic takedown of American imperialism, celebrity culture, military incompetence, and media complacency. The fact that it's also one of the funniest films of the decade is a testament to his singular vision.
- **The Aliens as Icons:** The Martians themselves are masterpieces of design. With their exposed brains, staccato "Ack ack ack!" chatter, and gleeful, casual cruelty, they are simultaneously hilarious and genuinely unsettling. They are the ultimate, unstoppable force of chaotic id, and their stop-motion/early CGI hybrid look gives them a tangible, creepy presence that modern CGI often lacks.
- **An All-Star Cast Playing It Straight:** The ensemble is a who's who of 90s talent, and every single one of them commits fully to Burton's off-kilter reality. Jack Nicholson (in a brilliant dual role) is the perfect, buffoonish embodiment of power. Glenn Close is deliciously vapid as the First Lady. Annette Bening's New Age mystic is a highlight of demented sincerity. And Sarah Jessica Parker as a talking head with her head in a jar? Only here.

**The Dark Humour Is the Point:**

This is not a gentle comedy. It's a film where beloved characters are incinerated without warning, where peace efforts fail catastrophically, and where the ultimate salvation comes not from heroism but from sheer, accidental absurdity. The body count is astronomical, and the film's gleeful commitment to its own mayhem is what makes it so audaciously funny. It's a satire that truly has no sacred cows.

**Why It's an 8 (Not a 9 or 10):**

- **A Deliberate, Chaotic Sprawl:** The film's scattershot approach—jumping between dozens of characters and subplots—is part of its charm, but it can also feel disjointed. Some threads are more engaging than others, and the lack of a central, emotional anchor means the satire, while sharp, can feel a bit distant.
- **An Acquired Taste:** The very qualities that make it a cult classic—its aggressive weirdness, its nihilistic tone, its embrace of the absurd—can be off-putting to viewers seeking conventional narrative or character investment.

**The Verdict:**

*Mars Attacks!* is a one-of-a-kind cinematic artefact. It's a film that could only have been made by Tim Burton at the height of his creative powers, unchecked and utterly fearless. It is a hilarious, savage, visually inventive, and endlessly quotable masterpiece of dark comedy that has only grown more relevant with age. It earns its **8/10** for its audacious, unapologetic weirdness and its status as a truly unique entry in the sci-fi comedy canon. A glorious, brain-exploding blast.

**Watch if:** You love Tim Burton's singular aesthetic, 50s B-movie homages, dark satire, and comedies that aren't afraid to get weird (and violent).
**Skip if:** You require emotional depth, coherent plot structure, or gentle, heartwarming comedy. This is a glorious, chaotic, and darkly hilarious mess.