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For
centuries the planet Mars has been a mystery for the human race.
Some civilities have worshiped it, while others feared
it. The Romans were so inspired by it that they named their god
of War after the planet as they associated its red color with
anger and power.
As
society enters the 21st century, mars are still a relative
mystery. While there has been more learned about the planet in
the last 40 years than in all of human history, much of the
planet still remains a mystery.
Science
Fiction writers have long set Mars as a planet where hidden
Martians plot to unleash their fury on the human race laying
waste to all they encounter. While such popular sentiments regarding Mars was found in such
films as "War of the World" and "Mars
Attacks." The infamous "Mars Needs Women" and
other tales such as "The Martian Chronicles" painted a
kinder face of Mars.
While
scientists debate the issue if there is or ever was life on
Mars, one thing is certain, that humanity will eventually visit
the red planet and colonize it as we go forth into the galaxy.
It
is against this setting that veteran writer/director John
Carpenter gives viewers his latest offering "Ghosts of
Mars" Carpenter rose to prominence with such classics as
"Halloween," "The Fog," "Escape from
New York" and "The Thing," which quickly
established him as a master of modern horror. The late
80’s-the 90’s were not kind to Carpenter as many of his
films such as "The Prince of Darkness," "Children
of the Damned," "They Live" and "Escape from
LA" failed to reach an audience and many fans thought that
Carpenter had lost his touch. The director seemed to rebound with "Vampires" as the
film became a hit with fans and many critics, and Carpenter
announced that his next film would be set on Mars and would
blend horror and sci-fi.
"Ghost
of Mars" is set in 2176 AD, where Mars has long been
colonized and is 84% terraformed to an Earth atmosphere.
The film opens with a deposition by Lt. Melanie Ballard
(Natasha Henstridge) as she tells a review board of her recent
transport assignment to Shining Canyon to pick up the notorious
criminal James 'Desolation' Williams (Ice Cube).
The
story is told in flashbacks from Ballard and some other
characters and Carpenter changes the film's direction as he back-steps
and picks up the story from the point of view of another
character so we can see what they were doing during the time the
action was elsewhere.
Ballard
is second in command of a police force of five, under the
command of Captain Braddock (Pam Grier). They set out to bring
the deadly Williams in for trial. Along for the trip are two
rookie officers, Kincaid (Clea Duvall) and Descanso (Liam
Waite). Rounding out the
group is the new Sergeant Jericho (Jason Statham), who seems
more eager to get a crack at Ballard then he does on any aspect
of the mission.
No
sooner does the group arrive at their destination then they are
met with a deserted town. After a few moments of searching, they
discover a few people left alive, but many dead and decapitated.
Those remaining alive aside from Williams and a few
prisoners are acting very odd and seem to have a fascination
with self-mutilation.
It
is at this point that the film loses much of its focus, as a
promising setup is lost. The characters seem to wander around
from setting to setting with no real plan of action.
It
is learned that some sort of life form has possessed the
colonists and that killing the host does not kill the life form.
Furthermore, a large group of the possessed colonists is
massing for an assault on the survivors. While this should be a
setting of tension and horror, it is instead little more than
large groups of extras standing around as loud rock music plays.
The
cast, with the exception of Ballard and Williams, are very bland
and underdeveloped. The characters of Ballard and Williams do
have some development but issues ranging from Ballard’s use of
drugs to Williams's past are left unresolved, though are hinted
at during the film.
The
dialogue in the film has some real groaners, such as "when
we blow up the nuclear reactor, will it make a big
explosion?" The
action scenes in the film are also uninspired, as with a few
exceptions; they are mostly hordes of extras being gunned down
in mass as loud music blares.
"Ghosts
of Mars" could have been a good horror film as the cast and
premise held much promise. Sadly, the film offers nothing new
and is just another example of a good premise that got wasted.
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