Subject: REVIEW: MARS ATTACKS! (1996)

From: [email-masked] (Michael J. Legeros)
Date: 11 Dec 1996 17:59:43 GMT

MARS ATTACKS!
                       A film review by Michael John Legeros
                        Copyright 1996 Michael John Legeros

(WB)
Directed by     Tim Burton
Written by      Jonathan Gems               
Cast            Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce
                Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Short, Jim Brown,
                Pam Grier, Michael J.  Fox, Danny DeVito, Lukas Haas,
                Sylvia Sidney, Rod Steiger, Paul Winfield, Natalie
                Portman, Tom Jones
MPAA Rating     "PG-13"
Running Time    107 minutes
Reviewed at     Six Forks Station Cinemas, Raleigh, NC (30NOV96)

==

     Tim Burton's new movie is strangely sedate, which is a polite way
of saying that it's boring even though it's not supposed to be.  His
elaborate (but never engaging) sci-fi/monster/disaster-movie spoof,
adapted from the vintage (and violent) trading card set, has two things
going for it:  fabulous art direction and the director's gleefully
grotesque sense of humor.  The latter, with its many playful sequences
of torture and gore, is almost certain to be lost on the masses.
Audiences may have cheered INDEPENDENCE DAY, but scenes of burning
cattle and other crispy critters are sure to send them in the direction
of other holiday movies.  Obviously Mr. B.  doesn't care.  He appears
willing to do almost anything for a sick laugh, including killing off
most of his cast.  Almost two-dozen stars appear in this one, from Jack
Nicholson (in two roles) to Sara Jessica Parker to Jim Brown.  Most of
their characters are so boring, though, that you won't even mind when
they're turned into toast.  Ack ack ack ack! 

     Grade: B-

--

Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC, USA, Earth
[email-masked] (h) - [email-masked] (w)
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