Mars Attacks!

1996

SF elements

Review

A Martian fleet is approaching the Earth. Will they be friendly or hostile? The President is more interested in photo-opportunities.

Tim Burton's film, loosely based on a famous 1950s card set, broadly spoofs the entire alien invasion genre. It's knee deep in celebrities: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Rod Steiger, Annette Bening, Michael J Fox, Tom Jones, ... the list goes on. It almost works, but doesn't quite manage it. After a rather ponderous start, it hots up once the Martians start gleefully wasting everyone in sight. But in the end, it's not quite funny enough, and not quite dark enough.

Rating: 4