Mars Attacks! is a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_comedy"]
black comedy[/ame] and [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction"]
science fiction[/ame] [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film"]
film[/ame] by [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Burton"]
Tim Burton[/ame] based on the popular card series
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Attacks"]Mars Attacks[/ame]. It was released in [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996"]
1996[/ame] by
Warner Bros.
The film combines the storyline and tone of a
B-movie (or B-movie spoof) with the budget of a [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockbuster_movie"]
blockbuster movie[/ame]. It features an [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensemble_cast"]
ensemble cast[/ame] of major stars including [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Nicholson"]
Jack Nicholson[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Close"]
Glenn Close[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Brosnan"]
Pierce Brosnan[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Don_Baker"]
Joe Don Baker[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annette_Bening"]
Annette Bening[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_DeVito"]
Danny DeVito[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Short"]
Martin Short[/ame],
Michael J. Fox, [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Applegate"]
Christina Applegate[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalie_Portman"]
Natalie Portman[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lukas_Haas"]
Lukas Haas[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Jessica_Parker"]
Sarah Jessica Parker[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Brown"]
Jim Brown[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Grier"]
Pam Grier[/ame], [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_J"]
Ray J[/ame],
Tom Jones and
Jack Black. The film is highly dependent upon [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_effect"]
special effects[/ame]. Every member of the top-billed cast except Bening has their character killed in the movie ? twice, in Nicholson's case.