Ghosts of Mars

8/24/20011h 38m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Terror is the same on any planet. ~

Overview:

In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find the post deserted and something far more dangerous than any criminal — the original inhabitants of Mars, hellbent on getting their planet back.

Director:

John Carpenter

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$28,000,000.00

Revenue:

$14,010,832.00

Key words:

future
planet mars
anti hero
possession
hot air balloon
mining
escaped convict
flashback
futuristic
zombie
train
survival horror
self mutilation
battering ram
ghost
cavern
ghost town
guns
outer space

Cast

Natasha Henstridge

~ as ~

Lt. Melanie Ballard

Ice Cube

~ as ~

James 'Desolation' Williams

Pam Grier

~ as ~

Commander Helena Braddock

Jason Statham

~ as ~

Sgt. Jericho Butler

Clea DuVall

~ as ~

Bashira Kincaid

Joanna Cassidy

~ as ~

Dr. Arlene Whitlock

Richard Cetrone

~ as ~

Big Daddy Mars

Rosemary Forsyth

~ as ~

Inquisitor

Liam Waite

~ as ~

Michael Descanso

Duane Davis

~ as ~

Uno

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
5
Frankly, this could have been set anywhere, but Mars in the late 22nd century is the venue for this slice of mediocre sci-fi horror. It all centres around a group of police officers who are detached to a remote mining colony to apprehend the wanted murderer "Desolation Williams" (the single-gear actor that is Ice Cube). Led by "Ballard" (Natasha Henstridge) these cops, and their target, soon discover that their location has been compromised and pretty soon they are under siege from an army of zombies with an unique (and quite well depicted) means of entering and controlling the human body. Odd to see Jason Statham with hair, but otherwise I found this to be a pretty unremarkable drama that I can't think John Carpenter would look back on particularly fondly. Henstridge is competent, but her part is so generic and the dialogue - especially with her and a lacklustre Pam Grier is banal. It looks OK, and the pace once we start picks up too, but the whole thing is really derivative and this attempt to mix the horror and sci-fi genres is too dependent on some, admittedly decent, make up effects before an ending that left me wondering if a sequel were to be in the offing. Fans of JC may get more from it, but for me it's not a film to bother watching again.