Ghosts of Mars

2001
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

59K

YOUR RATING

Pam Grier, Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Richard Cetrone, and Clea DuVall in Ghosts of Mars (2001)

Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar

Play trailer2:07

9 Videos

59 Photos

Action Horror Sci-Fi

In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.In 2176, a Martian police unit is sent to pick up a highly dangerous criminal at a remote mining post. Upon arrival, the cops find that the post has become a charnel house.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

4.9/10

59K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations

Trivia
In a 2011 interview, John Carpenter stated he was intentionally trying to make Ghosts Of Mars as over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek as possible. He claimed he was trying to make a mindless and silly, yet highly entertaining and thrilling, action flick where "the universe allows its characters and plot points to be silly without being full-fledged comedies", akin to 80's movies like Commando (1985), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), and Predator (1987). Looking back on the film and its criticism, he stated he was frustrated that most people thought the film was meant to be a serious horror movie, and feels that he should've made the film more openly comedic and "in on the joke", saying "...it's called Ghosts Of Mars for Christ's sake, why would people take this movie seriously?"

Goofs
During a shot out the front of the police station, a crew member is visible loitering in the shadows while the leader of the Ghosts yodels in the center of the street.

Quotes
Melanie Ballard: [to Jericho] Let me put it this way. Maybe I'd sleep with you if you were the last man on Earth. But we're not on Earth.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Captain Corelli's Mandolin/American Outlaws/Tortilla Soup/The Curse of the Jade Scorpion/Ghosts of Mars (2001)

User reviews529

Review

Featured review

Great movie! Why does everybody hate it?

I'm not some naive fan who thinks Carpenter can do no wrong. I didn't care much for Vampires or Village of the Damned (they were alright, but the scripts for those two were not up to snuff for a great director like Carpenter). However, I think Ghosts of Mars is one of his greatest movies. If you can't appreciate this movie then you can't really appreciate Carpenter, IMO. From the Lovecraftian story and atmosphere, to the anamorphic photography, to the excellent music, everything here is Carpenter. Hopefully this movie will find its audience, in time, rather than be forgotten. One criticism of Carpenter I've never been able to understand is that people say he isn't subtle, he relies solely on shocks and violence. Yes, his movies have shocks and violence, they are the release mechanisms for all of the terror he slowly builds up, neanderthals! It seems some film critics are just too good for American horror, they can't stoop to its level from their lofty perch.