Director John Carpenter is a master of the horror genre, creating iconic classics like Halloween and The Thing that would go on to be major influences in the genre. On the other hand, Jason Statham has become one of the most recognizable action heroes. He got his start with Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and went on to lead franchises like The Expendables and The Transporter. Both men are incredibly talented in their respective fields, yet the two did cross paths on one production.
John Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars saw him working with actor Jason Statham and offered the action star his first foray into the horror genre. Despite the talent behind the project, Ghosts of Mars did not fare well at the box office. We will examine how the movie came together, its failure to impress critics, and how time has played in the movie’s favor.
Ghosts of Mars Plot and Cast
- Release Date
- August 24, 2001
Billed as an action-Western-horror hybrid, Ghosts of Mars takes place in the 22nd century and follows Lieutenant Melanie Ballard (Natasha Henstridge) who, along with the MFP (Martian Police Force), is tasked with retrieving the notorious criminal James “Desolation” Williams (Ice Cube). When they arrive at the remote mining outpost where Williams is being held, the team finds that most of the colony has been mutilated. The corpses soon transform into violent zombie-like creatures inhabited by ancient spirits, forcing Ballard and her team to fight for survival.
“I can give a damn about saving this planet. Seems like it was after me since the day I was born. If I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die fighting, not running.” Desolation Williams (Ice Cube) in Ghost of Mars
Ghosts of Mars marks John Carpenter’s 20th feature film. At this point, Carpenter was already established as an icon, with The Thing, Halloween, and They Live representing some of the best horror features of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. However, before Ghosts of Mars, John Carpenter was coming off of some of his least well-received work, including Village of the Damned (1995), Escape From L.A. (1996), and Vampires (1998).
The cast of Ghosts of Mars is quintessential ’90s (despite coming out at the start of 2000), giving the movie a slight nostalgic flair for modern audiences. This includes Natasha Henstridge as Lieutenant Melanie Ballard, Ice Cube as Desolation Williams, Pam Grier as Commander Helena Braddock, Jason Statham as Sgt Jericho Butler, and Clea DuVall as Bashira Kincaid. While Ghosts of Mars is not Jason Statham’s best work, the movie offered his first foray into the world of horror.
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John Carpenter’s Flawed Ghosts of Mars was a Flop
Ghosts of Mars unfortunately continued Carpenter’s trend of falling short of expectations, with the movie being his lowest-scoring film with fans and critics to date. Currently, the movie sits at 23% critic score and 25% on the Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes; IMDb fares slightly better at 4.9 and 2.4/5 on Letterboxd. At the box office, the movie only grossed $14 million against a production budget of $28 million.
How did a John Carpenter horror movie flop so horrendously? Well, numerous factors contributed to Ghosts of Mars‘s failure. The movie was originally conceived as a follow-up to Escape From L.A. before being scrapped after that film’s mediocre performance. John Carpenter’s heart did not seem in the production either, with the movie marking a decade-long break before he would return with 2010’s The Ward.
The movie’s promotion also suffered, not just by being drowned out at the box office by other features, but also by having the crew unwilling to promote the movie. Notably, Ice Cube, stated that he did not want to promote a film he himself would not watch. On the other hand, Jason Statham has expressed pleasure in working with horror icon John Carpenter and how it furthered his career despite being a flop.
All the trouble behind the scenes and the Carpenters’ evident frustration with the process show on the screen and remain the production’s biggest downfall. Critics and fans have picked apart everything from stiff performances (notably from Ice Cube and Natasha Henstridge) to inane dialogue to horrible pacing and execution. The movie was also rough regarding special and practical effects, something now expected of a John Carpenter production. There was also a lack of identity, perhaps caused by the shift from being an Escape From L.A. sequel, and fans found it lacked both action and horror. The 2000s marked the worst decade for filmmaker John Carpenter, but how has time treated the flop?
You Should Still Watch Ghosts of Mars
Ghosts of Mars is far from John Carpenter’s best work. The movie is an inconsistent mess that is poorly written compared to the director’s classics. However, some have still found appreciation for the sci-fi horror Western approach, enjoying the mix of genres instead of seeing it as a shortcoming. In addition, fans felt the movie resonated with a similar charm to one of Carpenter’s most underrated movies, Assault on Precinct 13. Many also think the film still captures that unique form of storytelling and building atmosphere that only Carpenter can conjure, even if it feels watered down.
In the years that have followed, Ghosts of Mars has gained a cult following. Fans have found a reason to revisit it and enjoy it because of the fun and silly film it was meant to be, rather than measuring it against Carpenter’s early genre-defining work. If you are new to the world of John Carpenter, start with Halloween or The Thing, but if you want a good time, maybe with some like-minded friends, then Ghosts of Mars will entertain.