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Mars Attacks Reviews

1996 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 10,048 members

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 .. Read more

Starring Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan
Director Tim Burton
Genres Comedy

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  • Critics' reviews (5) of Mars Attacks

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    Little green men from the angry red planet launch a flying-saucer attack on Earth in director Tim Burton's uneven space oddity, based on a bubble-gum card storyline from the 1960s. In both a tribute to and a spoof of 1950s B-movies, Burton stumbles as many times as he succeeds in playing with the back catalogue of lurid pulp sci-fi references. But once the computer-generated bug-eyed Martians arrive and strut their evil stuff, this daffy Independence Day lampoon comes alive. Among an amazing roster of stars, Pierce Brosnan is hilarious as a presidential adviser and Lisa Marie is weirdly creepy as a disguised alien temptress.

    • Radio Times
  • 1 stars out of 4

    The film begins brilliantly, with a stampede of flaming cows, but is then content to recycle, at great expense, the style of 50s sci-fi films while its cast parody their more serious roles; despite its occasional antic charm, it is not as enjoyable as it

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • "...[A] continually inventive, parodistic sendup of alien invasion movies....The technically brilliant picture possesses a quirkily, somewhat facetious insider tone..."

    • Variety
  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Mars Attacks

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  • 15 out of 17 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Mars Attacks is one of the best films i have ever seen

    Tim Burton's Mars Attacks is wonderful.

    it is definately pure Tim Burton. he took elements of his other movies and there scenes and crammed the best bits into one film and i'v never seen comedy since Love Actually which mixes fun humor with big stars in such feelgood way as this movie. without ruining anything too much the film's basic synopsis sees President Dale [ Jack Nicholson] of the United States find photos of martain visitors given to him by his creepily wonderful spin doctor[ Martin Short]who has this wonderfully dark moment later on in the film - you'll know what i mean when you see it! meanwhile what of the other characters? Pierce Brosnan takes his polished and arrogant businessman roles too far and purposefully and the funny role of Doctor Donald Cessler who believes that the martians have came in piece. there's also Natalie Portman in the role of The President's daughter Taffy. Glenn Close is her snobby mother who along with Nicholson's President Dale are based very obviously on Ronald And Nancy Reagen. Danny Devito is in the movie as this man obsessed with gambling at casinos. Jack Nicholson also stars in the role of Art Land this modern time cowboy who owns his own money making hotel which has it's own space theme. the late Rod Steiger is one of the army men who wants to nuke the martains incase they strike. there's lot of other cast members like Micheal J Fox in the role of self obsessed reporter Jason who's jealous of Pierce Brosnan's Donald Cessler for flirting with his girlfriend Natty [ Sarah Jessica Parker]. meanwhile enough of the cast [ i could go on forever] what of the martains? luckily there wonderful. sound like a cross between The Penguin from Batman Returns and are also lot like The Gremlins in there mannerizms and evil red eyes. there are some wonderful spoofs/tributes to science fictions like War Of The Worlds and Independance Day. there are some very Tim Burtony moments like the martains doing plastic surgery on the humans they have abducted in their flying saucer. one of my favourite scenes is when The President loses it.

    you must see Mars Attacks it's a rare treat of science fiction. watching it made me think of an idea for sci - fi spoofery'' Great Encounter of the superb kind!'' it's that fun.

    ++++

      • Peter David Bromley from Newcastle Upon Tyne
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Tim Burton never fails to impress me, i have loved his recent films and they have inspired me to look back at his previous films, and they are consistantly funny, inventive, exciting,vibrant, imagenative and most importantly very original, which is so important in these times of boring formulaic hollywood films.<p>

    Not Burtons best film, but non the less a breath of colourful fresh air.

      • Sam#36 from TANSLEY
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A must see - This will leave you crying from laughter. I have seen this film loads of times and I am sure I will rent it again. Watch it with friends to get the best from this film.

      • A customer from HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of Mars Attacks

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Arguably the best movie ever made. Compulsive viewing for those who like to see Hollywood stars bite the dust. Reputations mean nothing to those mighty men from Mars: everyone is fair game.

      • A customer from CAMBRIDGE
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Not Burton's best but still good

    As a huge Tim Burton fan I couldn't wait to see this film in the cinema, but came away feeling disappointed. The jokes are a bit hit-and-miss and the story is patchy throughout with the ending particularly unsatisfying. On the plus side the cast are excellent, the special effects still look good and some of the set-pieces are very funny. Overall there's a healthy dose of Burton's black humour running through the whole film which makes it watchable, but I can't help feeling it could have been so much better.

      • Mark Boswell from Glasgow
  • 15 out of 17 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Mars Attacks is one of the best films i have ever seen

    Tim Burton's Mars Attacks is wonderful.

    it is definately pure Tim Burton. he took elements of his other movies and there scenes and crammed the best bits into one film and i'v never seen comedy since Love Actually which mixes fun humor with big stars in such feelgood way as this movie. without ruining anything too much the film's basic synopsis sees President Dale [ Jack Nicholson] of the United States find photos of martain visitors given to him by his creepily wonderful spin doctor[ Martin Short]who has this wonderfully dark moment later on in the film - you'll know what i mean when you see it! meanwhile what of the other characters? Pierce Brosnan takes his polished and arrogant businessman roles too far and purposefully and the funny role of Doctor Donald Cessler who believes that the martians have came in piece. there's also Natalie Portman in the role of The President's daughter Taffy. Glenn Close is her snobby mother who along with Nicholson's President Dale are based very obviously on Ronald And Nancy Reagen. Danny Devito is in the movie as this man obsessed with gambling at casinos. Jack Nicholson also stars in the role of Art Land this modern time cowboy who owns his own money making hotel which has it's own space theme. the late Rod Steiger is one of the army men who wants to nuke the martains incase they strike. there's lot of other cast members like Micheal J Fox in the role of self obsessed reporter Jason who's jealous of Pierce Brosnan's Donald Cessler for flirting with his girlfriend Natty [ Sarah Jessica Parker]. meanwhile enough of the cast [ i could go on forever] what of the martains? luckily there wonderful. sound like a cross between The Penguin from Batman Returns and are also lot like The Gremlins in there mannerizms and evil red eyes. there are some wonderful spoofs/tributes to science fictions like War Of The Worlds and Independance Day. there are some very Tim Burtony moments like the martains doing plastic surgery on the humans they have abducted in their flying saucer. one of my favourite scenes is when The President loses it.

    you must see Mars Attacks it's a rare treat of science fiction. watching it made me think of an idea for sci - fi spoofery'' Great Encounter of the superb kind!'' it's that fun.

    ++++

      • Peter David Bromley from Newcastle Upon Tyne
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Tim Burton never fails to impress me, i have loved his recent films and they have inspired me to look back at his previous films, and they are consistantly funny, inventive, exciting,vibrant, imagenative and most importantly very original, which is so important in these times of boring formulaic hollywood films.<p>

    Not Burtons best film, but non the less a breath of colourful fresh air.

      • Sam#36 from TANSLEY
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A must see - This will leave you crying from laughter. I have seen this film loads of times and I am sure I will rent it again. Watch it with friends to get the best from this film.

      • A customer from HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
  • 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Stars Attack!

    It may be worth seeing this film for the novely star factor alone. Sarah Jessica Parker (of "Sex and the City"), Pierce Brosnon, Danny Devito, Nathalie Portman, Jack Nicholson, Glen Close, Jack Black and, best of all, Tom Jones! Not that this film relies on the attraction of its actors. It is an amusing and clever spoof of alien invasion films such as "Independence Day". It's not the most intelligent of comedies but it's always enjoyable. One of my favourite guilty pleasures.

      • snowy2481 from west glam
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    This is a classic movie, that I've seen a few times. Very funny. The DVD itself doesn't contain much more than the film, mainly just text info on the cast and some other stuff.

      • sonic1#1 from LEEDS
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Not Burton's best but still good

    As a huge Tim Burton fan I couldn't wait to see this film in the cinema, but came away feeling disappointed. The jokes are a bit hit-and-miss and the story is patchy throughout with the ending particularly unsatisfying. On the plus side the cast are excellent, the special effects still look good and some of the set-pieces are very funny. Overall there's a healthy dose of Burton's black humour running through the whole film which makes it watchable, but I can't help feeling it could have been so much better.

      • Mark Boswell from Glasgow
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Arguably the best movie ever made. Compulsive viewing for those who like to see Hollywood stars bite the dust. Reputations mean nothing to those mighty men from Mars: everyone is fair game.

      • A customer from CAMBRIDGE
  • Rated - 3 stars

    Took a bit of time to make up its mind what kind of movie it is...did it ever decide? A bit scary for the child viewers and a bit uneven for the adults but enough funny bits to keep everyone watching.

      • Maxine#1 from KINGSTON UPON THAMES
  • Rated - 5 stars

    Amazing cast and a real tip of the hat to the classic sci-fi movies of the 50's and 60's. Tim Burton is amazing and the martians are so funny.

      • A customer from BRENTWOOD
  • Rated - 3 stars

    Tim Burton strikes again, only scores lower cos I like his gothy twisted stuff, but a very enjoyable film nonetheless.

      • A customer from CARLTON
  • Critics' reviews (5)

  • 4 stars out of 5

    Little green men from the angry red planet launch a flying-saucer attack on Earth in director Tim Burton's uneven space oddity, based on a bubble-gum card storyline from the 1960s. In both a tribute to and a spoof of 1950s B-movies, Burton stumbles as many times as he succeeds in playing with the back catalogue of lurid pulp sci-fi references. But once the computer-generated bug-eyed Martians arrive and strut their evil stuff, this daffy Independence Day lampoon comes alive. Among an amazing roster of stars, Pierce Brosnan is hilarious as a presidential adviser and Lisa Marie is weirdly creepy as a disguised alien temptress.

    • Radio Times
  • 1 stars out of 4

    The film begins brilliantly, with a stampede of flaming cows, but is then content to recycle, at great expense, the style of 50s sci-fi films while its cast parody their more serious roles; despite its occasional antic charm, it is not as enjoyable as it

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • "...[A] continually inventive, parodistic sendup of alien invasion movies....The technically brilliant picture possesses a quirkily, somewhat facetious insider tone..."

    • Variety
  • Earth's in peril, yet again, and the US President must call the shots. This time, though, we're rooting for the space... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
  • "...[A] giddily satiric epic....Escalates into full Burtonian madness..." -- Rating: B+

    • Entertainment Weekly

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    • 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 ...

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10,048 Member ratings
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1,538
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444
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