MovieChat Forums > Mars Attacks! (1996) Discussion > Watched again, still feel the same.

Watched again, still feel the same.

posted 9 years ago by BrickNash
4 replies | jump to latest

I went to see this when it was released and I came out the cinema feeling a bit hmmmm.

Watching it again, it's good fun but there's certainly something a bit off target. The script is terrible and I don't mean funny terrible, I mean just flat, completely unmemorable and a bit amateurish.

I get what they were going for, a modern spoof take of the 50's B movie but it all came off more as silly rather than funny plus the bloated cast doesn't do much for the film past the 'spot the celebrity' novelty.

I think after the success of Ed Wood (which I think is one of the greatest films of all time and really did capture a B movie feel!) and Martin Landau's award, people were dying to work with Burton because he was heading for proper film making fame amongst the greats but Mars Attacks just seems like a mish-mash of colourful gags and some bad tongue in cheek humour and saying it's deliberate doesn't make it any better.

As I say it's fun and there are some good bits like Jack Nicholson seemingly doing a Beetlejuice impression for one of his roles but for Burton it's a big step down from his earlier work which were all Stellar.

[–] Nooneimportant 9 years ago

The pacing is a bit bad, but the scrip dialoge and events are imaginative and funny. You do know its suppose to be a bit bad right? In the style of 50´s campy Sci-fi? But... It can feel abit long cuz of the pacing.

[–] wrs6565 9 years ago

I caught most of this on TV recently after hating it when it came out (I would have been 14 at the time) and still hated it. Honestly, it's one of the most witless, unfunny loads of godawful dreck I've ever seen. Is killing celebrities with ray guns really THAT funny? Yes, I get that it's supposed to be like those 50s B movies, and those are awful too.

The only movie I've seen worse than MA, and I've seen many, is "What The Bleep Do We Know."

"Ed Wood" remains glorious; in fact, I'd rather watch any actual Wood film than this piece of dreck.

[–] sillyspaghetti 9 years ago

I saw it a few years ago and watched it again today. On both occasions, I have really enjoyed it. Indian Love Song at the end and Tom Jones' cameo always raise a belly laugh!

[–] nine_inch_nailed 8 years ago

I really want to like it because there are some fun ideas in it, but it just doesn't come together. And when it's dull, it's extremely dull. A shame, really.

________
Armchair Critic Law 38:

If a film has a plot twist, overanalyse.