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John
Carpenter is the famed director of such classics like
"Halloween." He's a real talent, who knows how to
please his audience, without being gratuitous. There's a reason
why his name precedes every one of his movie titles. However,
even the best directors have films in their vault that don't fare as
memorable as some of their more ambitious works.
"Vampires" was one of those forgettable works, but I
still haven't lost my faith in Carpenter.
"Ghosts of Mars" isn't a bad film, not bad at all. It
just lacks a certain energy, a certain something that would've
kept it from straying into familiar sci-fi territory.
Carpenter's direction is superb, like always, and I'm glad he always
chooses the music for his soundtracks. He even composes some of
his scores (i.e.: the famous "Halloween" theme),
making use of his other talents. But Carpenter (who
co-wrote) could've used a better script.
The plot is
thin and so is the character development. You never become
thoroughly engaged in our heroes and heroines. The
claustrophobic settings don't offer much help either.
The cast is
impressive. Ice Cube is one of the few rapper-turned-actors
who CAN act. Natasha Henstridge is a strong female lead (I guess
she seems more aggressive with her clothes on...LOL). Underrated
English actor Jason Statham ("Snatch") tops off a good
supporting cast, which also includes Pam Grier.
"GOM"
is never entirely boring. It is entertaining to a degree.
But it's one of those half-baked efforts where you can't help but
expect more.
I also
thought the premise could've been stronger. It involves a special
police squad on Mars sent to obliterate all the scum of the Red
Planet, who suddenly get roped into this all-out war with ghosts who
are invading people's bodies and causing the people to kill those who
aren't infected by the ghosts. OK, maybe it hasn't been
done before. It's just not a catchy premise that will
be preserved in your mind for lifetimes--unless you're a die-hard
sci-fi buff.
I know
there are some ultimately shallow action and sci-fi flicks that still
generate enough energy to keep its audience engaged throughout.
I understand that this wasn't meant to be a sci-fi classic, but
as I said it lacks a certain energy and misses the mark by a couple of
inches. A pretty good video rental, but only OK for
theaters.
-- Matt
( 2 1/2 out of 4 pops )
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