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Movies / On DVD / John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars

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John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (2001)

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Reviews Counted:99

Fresh:19

Rotten:80

Average Rating:3.6/10

Consensus: John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars is not one of Carpenter's better movies, filled as it is with bad dialogue, bad acting, confusing flashbacks, and scenes that are more campy than scary.

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

US Box Office: $7,307,616

Synopsis: In the year 2176, Earth has colonized Mars, and all positions of power are held by women. Police Lieutenant Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) is assigned to take a crew via train from the metropolis of... In the year 2176, Earth has colonized Mars, and all positions of power are held by women. Police Lieutenant Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) is assigned to take a crew via train from the metropolis of Chryste to the deserted mining town of Shining Station to capture an extremely dangerous convict, Desolation Williams (Ice Cube). When Ballard and her crew arrive at Shining Station, an eerily deserted town, they find not only Williams, but also scientist Dr. Whitlock (Joanna Cassidy), who has secluded herself in the colony for safety. She tells Ballard and her crew that a mining project released a mysterious cloud from beneath the planet's surface. It is possessing the colonists, causing them to hunt down and kill off any non-possessed beings. Ballard and her crew decide that they must destroy the possessed beings for the good of the planet, a job which is more difficult than anyone predicts. John Carpenter's 17th theatrical feature combines action, horror, and sci-fi with thematic elements from earlier works (most notably ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 and THE THING). Rough around the edges with lots of energy and a sense of fun, GHOSTS OF MARS is a spirited genre cocktail. [More]

Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Pam Grier

Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, Joanna Cassidy

Director: John Carpenter

Director: John Carpenter
Screenwriter: Larry Sulkis
Producer: Sandy King
Studio: Screen Gems

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars

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21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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You'll wish you were on Mars and not on Earth suffering through this movie.

Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
02/04/02
Kamal  'The Diva' Larsuel
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
3BlackChicks Review

There's a great deal of promise in the outline of the tale, but somewhere along the line, the execution went awry.

Full Review Source: Baseline.Hollywood.com | comment Comment
12/21/01
Ted Murphy
Ted Murphy
Baseline.Hollywood.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
12/11/01
Jamie Gillies
Jamie Gillies
Apollo Guide
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
12/02/01
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The most disturbing thing about an aggressively tame production is the suspicion that John Carpenter has been taken over by one of his own mindless zombie Martians.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
11/30/01
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Critical Eye | comment Comment
11/23/01
Mark Freeman
Mark Freeman
Critical Eye

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
11/19/01
Neil Smith
Neil Smith
BBC

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Modamag.com | comment Comment
11/12/01
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
Modamag.com

I'm not the type to bash a "popcorn movie" for not being Macbeth, but even B-movie genre fare needs to be held to some kind of standard.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
11/12/01
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
10/30/01
Joe Baltake
Joe Baltake
Sacramento Bee

It loves being quick and dirty, and it wants you to love it too. That honesty can be hard to resist, even when the film itself starts to falter.

Full Review Source: Flipside Movie Emporium | comment Comment
10/24/01
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Flipside Movie Emporium

...no logra superar ese status de ser una película pasajera y punto...

Full Review Source: Cinenganos | comment Comment
10/11/01
Alex Ramirez
Alex Ramirez
Cinenganos

There's a difference between a simple plot and a stupid one. Carpenter's is a no-brainer, but it's executed with flair, talent, and few lapses in logic.

Full Review Source: Film Blather | comment Comment
09/21/01
Eugene Novikov
Eugene Novikov
Film Blather

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: www.susangranger.com | comment Comment
09/10/01
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
www.susangranger.com

a '70s zombie picture with the posturing bravado and buddy-movie elements of an '80s sci-fi/action picture

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
09/09/01
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

It's hard to call this a thriller, since there is nothing thrilling about it.

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
09/07/01
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
09/04/01
Dwayne E. Leslie
Dwayne E. Leslie
Boxoffice Magazine

One of the movie's first images is a flashing 'Auto Pilot' sign, and that's how it seems to have been made.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
08/31/01
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Carpenter's work is recognizable as human art, but art untarnished by the sheen and polish of a global popular culture.

Full Review Source: Movie Habit | comment Comment
08/31/01
Marty Mapes
Marty Mapes
Movie Habit

starts out as a fairly effective sci-fi horrorshow, then quickly devolves into a mindless action movie

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
08/30/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
 
 
21 - 40 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Latest News for John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars

January 17, 2007: Disney Signs On with "John Carter of Mars"
Not too long ago Jon Favreau was this close to directing "John Carter of Mars" for Paramount Pictures, but the studio let their option on the property lapse -- and we... More...

May 13, 2005: John Carpenter to Return to Directing with "Apostle"
Yahoo! brings some news that should please the horror fans out there. Seems that legendary scare-master John Carpenter ("Halloween") will be returning to the... More...

June 06, 2001: Clea DuVall, Pam Grier, and Joanna Cassidy have joined the cast. Opens in new window
More...

June 06, 2001: And about how the fighting in his film eschews those trendy Matrix moves. 'There wasn't a lot of flying around at the Alamo,' says Carpenter. Opens in new window
More...

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