MovieChat Forums > Mars Attacks! (1996) Discussion > Jack Black's death scene was pretty mean...

Jack Black's death scene was pretty mean-spirited

posted 14 years ago by killermike2178
50 replies | jump to latest

I know this is a Tim Burton movie, but this death scene is just so messed up. JB is killed in spot, where not any camera, but EVERY gotdang camera just so happens to be facing, so he gets killed on live TV. And when his parents are at home watching, they try to change the channel, but it's a simulcast, so every channel is showing their baby boy being killed on live TV, and they're all like, "Nah, that didn't happen! Change the channel!"

I love this movie, but that was just messed up.

[–] Darwinskid 12 years ago

His character wasn't meant to be likeable, it's fitting his character dies in a mean spirited fashioned.

...Doh!

[–] cidandreevefangirl 12 years ago

It also emphasizes how mean spirited the aliens are. They can't be reasoned with and go to ridiculous lengths to kill people for "fun". Jack Black got off pretty easy compared to, for example, Sarah Jessica Parker and Pierce Brosnan's characters.

[–] tim-656 12 years ago

OK I have to jump in on this one. There was never any question to me as to what this scene meant. I hate to say this but if I had to describe this scene I would say it was satisfying. These are bad people. The parents are horrible. They favor one son over the other, and he's clearly an ass. Throughout the film Lucas Haas shows himself to be compassionate, loyal, smart, and brave albeit off beat. Jack Black is just the opposite, he's selfish, ignorant, and a bully and for some reason the parents adore him, not only completely comparing Haas to him (unfairly I might add) but creating a shrine to him in their trailer. To me when Black is killed he is outed to the rest of the world for what he is regardless of what the parents think, He's lazy, slovenly, sloppy, stupid and even ultimately attempts to surrender for the United States. When he is killed it's satisfying, it's on 15 cameras and it's pretty spectacular.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FreewheelinVertigo 12 years ago

Always considered the opening scene the most disturbing.
The cows on fire, I mean. Terrible death, quite an upsetting scene. Ergh.
Then again, as somebody else said, Burton loves putting some disturbing scenes in his overally light-hearted films. And vice versa (goofy parts of the Sleepy Hollow).

The Power of Positive Drinking

[–] jaynekranc 11 years ago

I was glad when he died. He was a jerk and his family were jerks to his brother. It was Karma to me. Maybe that was wrong, but it was how I felt. Of course, we had one special kid in our family that our parents thought was better than anyone else, so maybe that's what resonated with me.

[–] Strangerhand 8 years ago

It was Karma to me.

Dur, nah, I think it was the Martians that did that hehehehehe

[–] GoodSOVeryVeryGood 10 years ago

It's political satire - it's the "hero making", it's the "can't get away from it no matter how much you try" … it's .. well it's America at it's finest !!!! Probably why it disturbs you so much is because of how much it reflects the reality of the US … as much as you want to get away from it .. you can't .. it's being broadcast every where !!!!

[–] usherman 10 years ago

That is what is known as dark comedy. Not the best I've seen, but I did laugh a few times.

[–] Krustallos 10 years ago

The point of the scene was that he was a macho redneck'patriot' but his last act was to surrender, whereas his 'loser' brother end up saving the world, purely through his unselfish concern for his grandma. Point being that heroism doesn't always reside where one might think.

I used to want to change the world. Now I just want to leave the room with a little dignity.