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Director:
John Carpenter
Stars:
Austin Stoker,
Darwin Joston,
Laurie Zimmer
200 years in the future a Martian police unit is dispatched to transport a dangerous prisoner from a mining outpost back to justice. But when the team arrives they find the town deserted and some of the inhabitants possessed by the former inhabitants of the planet.Written by
IMDb staff
Jason Statham was originally hired to play James "Desolation" Williams, but was replaced by Ice Cube for star power. See more »
Goofs
During the battle when the survivors are waiting for the train to arrive the first time, a sword makes the noise of hitting metal when colliding with a gun, but it bends significantly and is obviously made of rubber. See more »
A team of future cops take a bullet train to a Marsian colony to retrieve a murderer played by Ice Cube. Upon arrival they're attacked by colonists possessed by the Ghosts of Mars. John Carpenter's penultimate theatrical feature to date is easily one of his best, considering the odds against it. The film borrows from Total Recall, The Thing and Assault on Precinct 13, but still looks fresh and original. The pace is steady and the mood consistent. The electronic/metal score recorded by Carpenter and Anthrax, while being uncharacteristically modern, still is very much signature Carpenter. The glorious Panavision cinematography is fresh just like it was in the 80s. The (then) young stars Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham and Clea DuVall fit their roles perfectly, most notably Henstridge, who effortlessly portrays a woman in command and *not* a tough chick with a chip on her shoulder. The seasoned actresses Pam Grier and Joanna Cassidy add a punch here and there. Ghosts of Mars leans closer to Escape from LA on the fun meter, but retains the quality and edginess of The Thing. A good movie.
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A team of future cops take a bullet train to a Marsian colony to retrieve a murderer played by Ice Cube. Upon arrival they're attacked by colonists possessed by the Ghosts of Mars. John Carpenter's penultimate theatrical feature to date is easily one of his best, considering the odds against it. The film borrows from Total Recall, The Thing and Assault on Precinct 13, but still looks fresh and original. The pace is steady and the mood consistent. The electronic/metal score recorded by Carpenter and Anthrax, while being uncharacteristically modern, still is very much signature Carpenter. The glorious Panavision cinematography is fresh just like it was in the 80s. The (then) young stars Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham and Clea DuVall fit their roles perfectly, most notably Henstridge, who effortlessly portrays a woman in command and *not* a tough chick with a chip on her shoulder. The seasoned actresses Pam Grier and Joanna Cassidy add a punch here and there. Ghosts of Mars leans closer to Escape from LA on the fun meter, but retains the quality and edginess of The Thing. A good movie.