timespace coordinates: (84% terraformed) MARS, 2176 A.D.
Ghosts of Mars is a 2001 American science fiction action horror film written, directed and scored by John Carpenter. The film stars Natasha Henstridge, Ice Cube, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, and Joanna Cassidy.
Responding to the criticism towards the film in his autobiography, Carpenter stated he was intentionally trying to make Ghosts Of Mars as over-the-top and tongue-in-cheek as possible. He claimed he was trying to make a mindless and silly, yet highly entertaining and thrilling, action flick where “the universe allows its characters and plot points to be silly without becoming full-fledged comedies”, akin to 80’s movies like Commando, Rambo: First Blood Part 2, and Predator. Looking back on the film and its criticism, he stated he was frustrated that most people thought the film was meant to be a serious horror movie, and feels that he should’ve made the film more openly comedic and “in on the joke”, saying “I have no power over what critics say, but when people complained about the movie being campy and not scary…the name of the movie is Ghosts Of Mars, I figured the campiness would be self-explanatory.” (wiki)