5.1
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.
Natasha Henstridge
Lt. Melanie Ballard
Ice Cube
James 'Desolation' Williams
Pam Grier
Commander Helena Braddock
Jason Statham
Sgt. Jericho Butler
Clea DuVall
Bashira Kincaid
Joanna Cassidy
Dr. Arlene Whitlock
Richard Cetrone
Big Daddy Mars
Rosemary Forsyth
Inquisitor
Liam Waite
Michael Descanso
Duane Davis
Uno
Lobo Sebastian
Dos
Rodney A. Grant
Tres
Wanda De Jesus
Akooshay
Peter Jason
Engineer McSimms
Doug McGrath
Benchley
Rick Edelstein
Zimmerman
Rex Linn
Yared
Michael Krawic
Man in the Rover
Robert Carradine
Rodale
Eileen Weisinger
Woman Warrior
Marjean Holden
Young Woman
Matt Nolan
Miner
Charlotte Cornwell
Narrator (voice)
Danielle Burgio
Local Lady Cop (uncredited)
Lena Milan
Hand-Double (uncredited)
Damon Caro
Shape-Male Intern (uncredited)
Christopher Allen Nelson
Demon Miner (uncredited)
Director, Writer
John Carpenter
Writer
Larry Sulkis
November 10, 2022
5
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.