TNMC
This site’s design is only visible in a graphical browser that supports web standards, but its content is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars
Movie: 6/10
Maybe I'm just being overly harsh because John Carpenter has made me expect better but this is a fairly bland horror film. As the title indicates it takes place on Mars. Humans have terraformed the planet to the point where it has a livable atmosphere. A group of police have been sent to a remote mining town to pick up a captured criminal with a record miles long who goes by the name of James "Desolation" Williams (Ice Cube). Natasha Henstridge is the lead, she takes over running the group of police after the captain (Pam Grier) is killed mysteriously.
The film is initially a bit creepy as the police wander through a ghost town trying to figure out what happened to everyone. Once the mystery is solved however, the movie just goes to pure mayhem as the ghosts and humans duke it out.
The lead roles are pure Carpenter anti-heroes. Tough unforgiving sorts with lots of flaws who we have to root for anyway. With the right actor, these roles can be great fun but unfortunately Carpenter doesn't have the right actors. Henstridge is gorgeous but never totally convincing as an ass-kicking cop. Maybe they should have gotten someone a bit less attractive. Ice Cube, generally a good actor, can't seem to find the appropriate level of menace for Desolation Williams to make him really convincing. The two have fairly good chemistry but just don't bring the needed nastiness to the roles. Where is Kurt Russell when you need him?
Video: 6/10
Martian dust storms really shouldn't have noticeable dithering. Otherwise the transfer looks pretty good. The small screen isn't kind to the special effects. The film's low budget is very much in evidence.
Audio: 7/10
The film has a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack and sounds pretty good although the score occasionally tends to overwhelm other audio.
Extras: 7/10
Included are a trio of documentaries comprised of behind the scenes footage. One shows how the special effects were made, another focuses on the filming of the movie and the third shows Carpenter's score being performed in the studio by various metal artists. Also on the disc is a commentary by Carpenter and Henstridge. This isn't quite as entertaining as Carpenter's commentaries with Kurt Russell but is infinitely better than the mind numbing commentary on In the Mouth of Madness.
Overall: 6/10
This isn't an awful film or disc but Carpenter has given us much better in the past. Those unfamiliar with his work might enjoy it more but the rest of us can only be disappointed.
What do you think? Talk about it on the Forums
