Ghosts of Mars (2001)

United States of America

Action, Horror, Science Fiction

Animationwerks, Screen Gems, Storm King Productions

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

John Carpenter

John Carpenter, Larry Sulkis

Taglines: Terror is the same on any planet.

future, planet mars, anti hero, possession, hot air balloon, mining, escaped convict, flashback, futuristic, zombie, train, survival horror, self mutilation, battering ram, ghost, cavern, ghost town, guns, outer space

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 the post deserted and something far more dangerous than any criminal — the original inhabitants of Mars, hellbent on getting their planet back.

Reviews:

Author: Geronimo1967
Frankly, this could have been set anywhere, but Mars in the late 22nd century is the venue for this slice of mediocre sci-fi horror. It all centres around a group of police officers who are detached to a remote mining colony to apprehend the wanted murderer "Desolation Williams" (the single-gear actor that is Ice Cube). Led by "Ballard" (Natasha Henstridge) these cops, and their target, soon discover that their location has been compromised and pretty soon they are under siege from an army of zombies with an unique (and quite well depicted) means of entering and controlling the human body. Odd to see Jason Statham with hair, but otherwise I found this to be a pretty unremarkable drama that I can't think John Carpenter would look back on particularly fondly. Henstridge is competent, but her part is so generic and the dialogue - especially with her and a lacklustre Pam Grier is banal. It looks OK, and the pace once we start picks up too, but the whole thing is really derivative and this attempt to mix the horror and sci-fi genres is too dependent on some, admittedly decent, make up effects before an ending that left me wondering if a sequel were to be in the offing. Fans of JC may get more from it, but for me it's not a film to bother watching again.