This blog post examines how Tim Burton’s ‘Mars Attacks!’ employs black comedy satire and subverts American heroism hidden beneath the surface of an SF blockbuster.
The Sci-Fi Film ‘Mars Attacks!’
‘Mars Attacks!’ superficially possesses the trappings of a sci-fi film. It depicts an alien invasion of Earth and humanity’s resistance against it, fitting the mold of a typical science fiction blockbuster. True to this, the film features massive alien spacecraft and skull-like aliens who wreak havoc across the planet. This setting visually stimulates audience interest and sufficiently evokes the feel of a massive blockbuster.
Special effects and computer graphics, implemented with the latest technology at the time, depict the aliens relatively convincingly. Detailed and thrilling scenes satisfy the elements audiences expect from a sci-fi film. Furthermore, like other sci-fi films, the structure of good versus evil is clearly evident. The aliens invading Earth are clearly the villains, while humanity, fighting back, is positioned as the heroes. In many ways, this film follows the formula of science fiction cinema, aiming to present the audience with the trappings of an SF blockbuster.
However, the film does not feature continuous large-scale battle scenes, nor does it prominently showcase the intricate and overwhelming realism of space and the aliens. Instead, the aliens appear in a cartoonish and somewhat comical form, and the setting itself leans more towards fun than seriousness. The film’s opening makes the audience anticipate an exciting and thrilling full-scale war with the aliens, but as the story progresses, the audience finds themselves smiling naturally rather than gripping their seats in suspense.
‘Mars Attacks!’ as Black Comedy
The flashy arrival of the aliens and scenes of Earth’s destruction seem to follow the formula of a sci-fi film, but the narrative soon takes a turn, mocking our society. Humanity’s reactions to the alien invasion are depicted in a highly varied manner, almost like a microcosm of modern society’s human crowd.
Faced with the alien invasion, the U.S. government panics and flounders. Military generals advocate a strong military response using nuclear weapons, but the U.S. President, seeing the aliens’ peaceful gestures, seeks to maintain peace and become friends through dialogue. Ultimately, the U.S. government engages in talks with the aliens, but the aliens, feigning peace, attack them and stab them in the back. The U.S. military crumbles helplessly before the alien assault, and the President foolishly loses his life.
Alongside this, the film satirizes societal contradictions through numerous episodes. An alien disguised as a human infiltrates the White House far too easily thanks to a female-obsessed American bureaucrat, while a male and female journalist covering the alien summit are captured and subjected to decapitation experiments. Their love story, even with severed heads, is depicted in an extremely comical manner. Other supporting characters include a grandmother with dementia and her grandson, a former wrestler, and more.
Most of the upper-class characters in the film are portrayed as foolish and selfish, utterly useless in saving humanity. In contrast, ordinary citizens strive to navigate the crisis in their own earnest ways. Scenes satirizing the plight of humans in crisis and cross-sections of society with wit and comedy continue throughout the film. In this regard, ‘Mars Attacks!’ can be read not as a simple science fiction film, but as a black comedy with clear satirical elements.
A Film Subverting American Heroism
Released around the same time as ‘Mars Attacks!’ and achieving massive box office success was ‘Independence Day’. This film also depicts an indiscriminate alien invasion of Earth and humanity’s resistance against it. On the surface, the two films appear very similar, but their content and message are nearly polar opposites.
While ‘Mars Attacks!’ failed at the box office, ‘Independence Day’ achieved massive popular success. The reason is clear. ‘Independence Day’ faithfully follows the Hollywood sci-fi formula and the American heroism template. The entities saving humanity from the aliens are American soldiers, the American government, and the American President. Though humanity faces crisis from alien invasion, the entity resolving it is ultimately America.
Will Smith appears as an Air Force pilot engaging in aerial combat with aliens, culminating in the U.S. President personally boarding a fighter jet and charging toward the alien mothership while declaring, “Today is humanity’s Independence Day.” Following this narrative, audiences unconsciously experience America’s power and stature. The scene of a handsome American president piloting a fighter jet to battle aliens effortlessly draws audiences into the American heroism narrative of the United States saving the world.
In contrast, the American president in ‘Mars Attacks!’ is portrayed as foolish and impotent, ultimately betrayed by the aliens and losing his life. America’s nuclear weapons and cutting-edge military equipment prove utterly powerless against the alien assault. Faced with the comical aliens from Mars, the U.S. government and its leadership are mere puppets. Instead, it is ordinary citizens and common people who fight to survive against the aliens until the end. The decisive factor in annihilating the aliens isn’t the U.S. government, but a song sung by a grandmother with dementia. Hearing that song, the aliens’ giant brains explode, leading to their deaths.
Thus, the two films form a stark contrast. ‘Mars Attacks!’ maintains cinematic entertainment while offering a cynical view of America’s upper class and power structures. Though it failed at the box office, the film’s unique character remains memorable.
The Role of Genre in ‘Mars Attacks!’
‘Mars Attacks!’ defies easy categorization into a single genre. It’s not straightforward to label it purely as a sci-fi film or a black comedy. Director Tim Burton’s work carries a pervasive B-movie sensibility throughout, while simultaneously wearing the flashy exterior of a sci-fi spectacle. Within it lies cynicism and criticism of the upper class, presented in the form of black comedy.
This film is deeply imbued with Tim Burton’s signature imagination and color palette, while simultaneously borrowing imagery from classic films to infuse the entire work with the distinctive sensibility of B-movies. This directorial approach effectively supports the cynical and critical content. Therefore, it can be seen that the film achieves great effect by appropriately utilizing each genre element.
First, it delivers the visual spectacle only science fiction films can provide through the grand invasion of Earth by aliens. Scenes of global cities being destroyed and massive alien spacecraft encircling Earth are difficult to realize outside the sci-fi genre. Second, the B-movie sensibility permeating the film provides another layer of enjoyment. The appearance of skull-shaped aliens with enormous brains, simplistic laser weapons, and direction reminiscent of classic invasion films appear to be Tim Burton’s deliberate choices, amplifying the film’s humor.
Finally, the film’s core narrative maintains a cynical stance toward those in power from beginning to end. The contrast between the pacifist U.S. president and the military general who advocates only force functions as a device satirizing American society at the time. Portraying the United States, which reigned as the world’s strongest power in the late 1990s, as powerless and ridiculous, this film presents audiences with a fresh perspective through its hidden satirical humor.
Conclusion
Thus, ‘Mars Attacks!’ is a work that simultaneously possesses the appeal of multiple genres. While it may be somewhat disconcerting for audiences expecting a grand sci-fi spectacle, it is by no means a low-budget film lacking in visual appeal. The comical appearance of the aliens alone gives this film the power to captivate the audience’s attention from start to finish.
Director Tim Burton maximized his strengths, blending multiple genres into one work and achieving a rare synergy. While it may not be firmly defined as a genre film, ‘Mars Attacks!’ remains a significant film precisely because it actively utilizes the characteristics and strengths of genres to deliver a unique cinematic experience.
