Ghosts of Mars (2001)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Sick Product of a Sick System

Great Film overall

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. If you truly give this film the benefit of a doubt it will truly suprise you alot and i gotta say this movie was pretty damn good. It's not perfect for sure it has it's issues (especially some special effects and all) but it's story was interesting, the acting pretty decent and John Carpenter knows how to make a good and entertain action and sci-fi flick and this one is definitely that. (7.5/10)

Mars has been a consistently entertaining setting for films that are all across the board, as far as tone and subject matter goes. Brian DePalma's Mission To Mars is a thoughtful, exhilarating piece, Anthony Hoffman's Red Planet makes a fascinating effort, John Carter took the swashbuckling adventure route. And then there's John Carpenter's Ghosts Of Mars, which is proudly the silliest of the entire bunch, a slice of sheer lunacy that admittedly serves as a distinct nadir in the auteur's legendary career, and yet is fun on its own terms. It's quite a weird little endeavour, and one can at least commend it for taking the brawny B movie route and littering its story with camp and Corman-esque nostalgia, instead of wasting it's breath by being yet another stupid horror flick that just happens to be set in space. Carpenter is the master of high concept set ups that oddly feel minimalistic and lean when seen on screen as opposed to paper, or word of mouth. In Carpenter's vision we follow intergalactic cop Melanie Ballard (Secies beauty Natasha Henstridge) and her crew as they land on Mars to collect uber dangerous convict Desolation Williams (Ice Cube being Ice Cube). Along with her is Jericho Butler (Jason Statham), Commander Helena Braddock (Pam Grier brings with her the class and specificity of the films that Carpenter yearns for and emulates) and Bashira Kincaid (Clea Duvall). Things go swimmingly until a mining team nearby unearths an ancient defensive device used by the warring native clans of Mars centuries ago. The spirits set loose soon possess workers and Henstridge's crew is faced with ancient, savage ghost warrior zombie things. Quite the chuckle worthy setup, isn't it? Hell, it ain't half bad, and there are certain moments of clarity where Carpenter's early career brilliance flashes through the muck briefly. Ice Cube tries to be badass and comes off just plain silly, which is fine by me, as I love having a laugh at the guy. Clea Duvall fares best and is pretty much the only actor here who hasn't found herself in a film like this anywhere else in her career. This makes her stand out, along with her immediate likability and charisma. The ghost warriors themselves resemble Moria Orcs with a serious methamphetamine problem, gaunt, vicious bastards that serve to give the makeup artist a good name, and are the best thing about the film, visually speaking. It ain't Carpenter's best, but hell man it's still Carpenter, and I'll take all I can get.

The Ghosts of Mars is an adventure film which can be described as part fantasy, part science-fiction. It takes place in the far future where humans have colonized Mars and built a society based on matriarchy.The movie starts with the testimony of the policewoman Melanie Ballard (played by Natasha Henstridge; i thought she was quite good here) recounting events that took place in previous days: she with other policemen led by Commander Braddock (Pamela Grier) traveled to Chrysi (a martian mining town) to escort back a dangerous criminal (Desolation Williams played by Ice Cube) who has been kept in the local prison there under guard. The policemen use the martian rail to go to Chrysi by train. After arriving there they find Desolation Williams in his prison cell but they also discover a far more dangerous situation than they would ever have expected.'The Ghosts of Mars' is directed by one of my favorite directors, John Carpenter. Quite frankly I think it is among the lesser films that he ever directed. Not because it is a bad movie. The reddish martian landscape is portrayed well with the cities isolated inside the martian desert and interconnected by rail. The film also contains enough good mystery, tension and action scenes to satisfy many movie goers who are attracted by such traits. It is a lesser film for Carpenter simply because Carpenter's other films are clearly superior. I rate it 6/10 and as I said: it is not a bad movie.

First you think this movie is simple and dumb. But when you watch it slowly grows under ur skin. And then you are just glued until the end when it builds up ! There is some special energy which take this moviebeyond all 1000s of action/horror similar movies ! And when you see Carpenter is director, then u know why have this special energy that makes you not forgettin this movies as some crap ! If You lack energy and courage see this movie and you will be healed. Fpr example; there are possessions by ghosts but not just any ghosts--they are primordial Mars spirits ! And what is MArs ? Its planet of war ! So we have only movie in history which embodies energy of Mars. Its no coincidence that music is made by masters of metal music which is also as genre connected with MArs energy ! Steve Vai, Anthrax, Buckethead... This movie is special even if IMDb and Rotten T. is not very high, this movie is special, good and its CULT !!!