What a wild movie! I've begun to appreciate this more and more with multiple viewings. I think it's Tim Burton's most underrated film. Unlike many of his previous films, this seems pretty impartial when it comes to the satire: everyone gets it here, not just the usual Christians. Here, New Ange devotees and Liberal advisers and generals are also made to look stupid. This is probably one reason the national critics - who are overwhelming Left Wing - didn't like this movie. They weren't used to the same abuse some of us put up with all the time.

Politics aside, this is one funny movie. It's a combination of science fiction, drama and comedy. It's a parody of the 1950s flying saucer films except it has 1990s color and good special-effects. Burton was a fan of those corny '50s sci-fi films so he made his own!

The story quickly moves from one character to another, from the low-key President of the U.S. played by an unusually-reserved Jack Nicholson to the wacky New Ager Annette Benning to Martin Short with his goofy smile....well, there are so many characters here - most of them completely whacked - it's too many to mention. The diversity of these people and the subtle humor in which they are all presented is just as much fun to watch as the special-effects. The Martians are a real hoot. They have to be seen to be believed.

I didn't like all the characters but, most people won't either. For me, showing elderly people as senile (Sylvia Sidney's role) is mean-spirited; Rod Steiger has the stereotypical war-mongering General is getting tiresome and the obvious politically-correct role for Jim Brown also went overboard.

All in all, however, this is about as entertaining a film as I have ever found, nd one that gets more enjoyable with each viewing.....which is why I rate it so high.

This film is a homage to sci-fi movies of the 1950s and 60s--even down to the design of the aliens who were taken from the obscure "Mars Attacks" kids trading cards from the 60s. At a gentle send up of the genre, you see many of the expected clichés and dialog--there are not major surprises here.

I heard a lot of very negative comments about this film when it came out and perhaps that is why I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't bad at all and nearly earned a 7 from me. Despite negative hype, the film is far from dull and quite fun. Sure, there's not a huge amount of depth to it and it won't change your life--but so what!? Some times it's okay just to watch a silly film like this and enjoy it on a superficial level. The only serious negative about the film is that the plot, in part, was actually stolen from ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES if you can believe it (who in their right mind would want to pilfer plot elements from THAT film?!?). The whole Slim Whitman angle is a knock off of the Donny Desmond ending and I can't believe they just lifted the ending from one film and slapped it on MARS ATTACKS!. That's why I ultimately chose to give the film a 6.

While he has been hit and miss recently, I like Tim Burton. Mars Attacks! is not his best(Edward Scissorhands),but far from his worst(Planet of the Apes)- in fact Mars Attacks! gets my vote as Burton's most underrated film. Mars Attacks! is a film you love or hate really, but I like it and consider it underrated and somewhat as a guilty pleasure.

The film does have a slow start and it does take a little too long before the fun starts. What I loved about Mars Attacks! though was its smartness, fun and in some ways uniqueness. It does make the most of a bubble-gum card story, and works brilliantly as a biting satire, and is further advantaged by some excellent visuals not only in the computer-generated bug-eyed Martians but in the photography, make-up and sets, wonderfully clever sci-fi references, a smart script and a quirky score from Danny Elfman. Tim Burton's direction is also great, and the acting is all fun. While Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Pam Grier and Annette Bening are a lot of fun, the best performances come from Pierce Brosnan who is hilarious as a presidential adviser and Lisa Marie who is weird yet wonderfully creepy and seductive as the disguised alien temptress. Overall, I really enjoyed this film. It is not Burton's best, but it is better than most of the stuff he's churned out this past decade-Big Fish and Sweeney Todd are the only ones so far that had the charm and uniqueness that made me love Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Batman and Vincent so much. 8/10 Bethany Cox