Jack Nicholson's Only Sci-Fi Movie Was An Underappreciated '90s Classic
When you hear the name Jack Nicholson, your mind could land on a series of diverse films spanning several genres, whether it's "The Shining," a horror film that everyone has to watch in 4K, neo-noir classics like "Chinatown," or gripping crime thrillers such as "The Departed." Sci-fi, however, is not a genre that always comes to mind when looking at Nicholson's filmography. That is, unless you're a huge Tim Burton fan.
Burton-heads and sci-fi fanatics alike may remember the 1996 sci-fi black comedy "Mars Attacks!," based on the 1962 Topps trading card set of the same name. As its title suggests, the film satirizes camp '50s sci-fi B-movies and comic stories, chronicling an alien invasion taken to ridiculous heights. The Martians in question are comically skeletal, brain-exposed beings who speak in shrill gibberish and engage in a slew of planet-conquering hijinks with their laser guns. The film featured an all-star cast of shining stars which, besides Nicholson, included Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Pierce Brosnan, Annette Bening, Jack Black, and more.
Nicholson played dual roles: U.S. President James Dale, the overly optimistic commander in chief in office when the Martians land, and Art Land, a sleazy casino owner with plans to capitalize on the recent invasion with a galaxy-themed resort. Whereas the former part parallels Nicholson's more authoritative characters like Col. Nathan R. Jessep in "A Few Good Men," the latter calls on his more cartoonish characters like "Batman's" Joker. Thus, audiences looking for a sampler with multiple flavors of Nicholson's acting personas, especially in a comedic setting, may be interested in watching "Mars Attacks!"
Mars Attacks! became a cult classic despite critical attacks
Some reviewers and casual moviegoers consider "Mars Attacks!" a disastrous sci-fi movie that proved director Tim Burton should avoid the genre entirely. As of this writing, it holds a 57% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an slightly lower audience score of 53%. Critics like Roger Ebert zapped the film like a Martian with a blaster, saying: "'Mars Attacks!' plays like one of those '50s movies that are *not* remembered as cult classics." Others booed its camp, reliance on silly humor, and perceivably missed potential.
Certain filmgoers found themselves drawn to the "Mars Attacks!" tractor beam, as illustrated by its more promising 6.4 out of 10 star user rating on IMDb, and an average score of 3.3 out of five stars on the popular movie discovery app Letterboxd. Web outlets like Collider retrospectively argued in defense of the extraterrestrial comedy, saying: "It's the closest Burton ever got to being punk rock, which is appropriate, considering the film is based on a series of trading cards explicitly designed to upset your parents."
The sci-fi genre parody's edgy antics and biting satire eventually birthed a cult following that likely stood front-and-center when it celebrated its 30th anniversary with a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release in 2026. Hopefully the only lasers involved were those needed to make and watch the Blu-ray, and not a Martian's.