Mars Attacks!
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Synopsis
Earth finds itself besieged by mischievous, sadistic little green Martians equipped with ray guns, forcing an eclectic ensemble of world leaders, journalists, gamblers, and ordinary misfits to survive the global onslaught.
Plot
When a fleet of flying saucers surrounds Earth, United States President James Dale prepares a peaceful welcoming ceremony in the Nevada desert under the counsel of idealistic science advisor Professor Donald Kessler. The Martian ambassador arrives, but when a released peace dove flies overhead, the invaders promptly incinerate it with a ray gun before annihilating the entire welcoming committee and media crews.
Despite the massacre, Dale attempts diplomatic appeasement by inviting the Martians to speak before a joint session of Congress, where they unleash a second slaughter, reducing the nation’s political leadership to glowing red and green skeletons. As the sadistic extraterrestrials spread across Washington, Las Vegas, and global capitals—swapping heads of TV anchors, leveling national monuments, and vaporizing world leaders—a small Kansas teenager and his senile grandmother inadvertently stumble across humanity’s most unexpected secret weapon.
Ending Explained
With the Martian forces destroying the White House and assassinating President Dale using a deceptive handshake device, all hope appears lost. In a Kansas nursing home, young slacker Richie Norris rushes to save his sweet, elderly grandmother, Florence. When an armed Martian intruder corners them, Florence’s record player continues spinning Slim Whitman’s country tune “Indian Love Call.” The high-frequency yodeling resonates painfully with the Martians’ biology, causing their exposed, oversized brains to violently rupture and explode into green slime inside their glass helmets.
Richie and Florence immediately rush the song to local radio authorities, broadcasting the yodel nationwide and globally. The acoustic attack causes Martian heads to burst en masse across the planet, crashing their saucers and ending the occupation in seconds. The few surviving world figures emerge from underground bunkers, while Richie and his grandmother receive the Medal of Honor from teenage presidential daughter Taffy Dale, saving what remains of the human race.
What We Think About This Movie
What We Liked
Gleefully unhinged, darkly comic Martian antics brought to life with stylized retro CGI.
Jack Nicholson pulling entertaining double duty as both the beleaguered US President and an eccentric Las Vegas developer.
Bold, vintage mid-century aesthetic, vibrant candy-colored sets, and an energetic Danny Elfman score.
The hilarious, utterly bizarre plot resolution involving classic yodeling music.
What We Didn't Like
A sluggish first act that takes too long to get the alien invasion moving.
A massive cast where many talented stars receive little screen time before abruptly getting vaporized.
Tonal unevenness between genuine disaster-movie setup and slapstick sci-fi mockery.
Who Should Watch
Fans of Tim Burton’s visual flair, dark comedic edge, and eccentric sensibilities.
Lovers of 1950s atomic-era B-movie sci-fi and disaster-movie satires.
Viewers looking for an over-the-top ensemble comedy packed with recognizable faces.
Who Should Skip
Anyone expecting a serious, grounded, or genuinely suspenseful alien invasion epic.
Viewers annoyed by intentionally trashy, juvenile sight gags and camp aesthetics.
Movie Details
Where to Watch Mars Attacks! in the USA
Frequently Asked Questions About Mars Attacks!
Is Mars Attacks! based on a comic book?
It is based on the controversial 1962 Topps trading card series of the same name, infamous for its graphic, pulpy depictions of alien savagery and sensational monster art.
How many roles does Jack Nicholson play in the movie?
Jack Nicholson plays two distinct parts: President James Dale and flamboyant Las Vegas real estate developer Art Land.
What song destroys the Martians?
The aliens' brains are ruptured by the frequency of "Indian Love Call," sung by Slim Whitman.
Who created the visual effects for the Martians?
Originally planned for traditional stop-motion animation overseen by Barry Purves and Henry Selick, the creatures were ultimately completed using early 3D computer graphics by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), styled specifically to retain a jerky stop-motion appearance.
