I think there are more films that are more below respectable then Mars Attacks. I think the film itself wasn't really seen as a bad movie despite the box office amount, I think the problem with the movie (and that i have with it) is that it is really, really, REALLY weird. It's one of the weirdest movies I've ever seen.
Why you ask? Because of the down right confusing aspects of the film. Tim Burton has never done a film like this, if you told me someone else made this I'd totally believe you because this is far gone from his style. All of his movies use black and dark colors where as this is like the exact opposite.
The huge celebrity cast list was an interesting move, having so many big name stars in there and then killing them off was a very original idea. Natalie Portman and Jack Black however were not famous yet, back when this came out no one even heard of them. It's one of those super ass early movies people forget these celebs ever did.
Like Johnny Depp in the first Nightmare on Elm Street, or Kevin Bacon in the first Friday the 13th, very few people know those guys were in those movies. Back to Mars though, the thing I loved the most was easily the aliens. Their goofy costumes, weapons, but most importantly: their language. It was hysterical!
They sound like ducks hepped on helium and pep pills. The movie is very funny and I do respect my main man Burton for trying something different, but there's one thing that always makes me feel bad about watching this movie: the deaths. For someone who's seen so many violent, gore stuffed, big body count movies, this movie really makes me feel iffie about re-watching it.
The concept of death can easily become funny, Monty Python's Black knight showed us that. However, I think the fact Mars had SO much death and especially seeing the skeleton thing, it started to make me feel icky. A person can only take and see so much death and reactions to it that it starts to get to you.
I also cannot stand watching animals get hurt on film, like "pet" animals. Seeing that dog got killed makes me cringe and look away every time considering I was a pet owner and i loved my dog very dearly, so seeing something like that even if presented comically makes me feel crappy inside. There are even some movies I have trouble watching because certain people's deaths are so excruciating to think about.
Movies like the "Jurassic Park" films, "The Mummy", "Terminator 3: Rise of the machines (the bed scene with Claire Danes fiance') "The Blob" (remake). Call me a pansy if you like but some of those movies do have scenes that rub me the wrong way, regardless of rating, sounds, thoughts and stuff like that can all paint very nasty pictures in your mind.
Alot of people also ripped on Burton's "Planet of the Apes", I didn't like the film personally but I didn't hate it either, it was like okay for me. But, I think people really didn't respect the very authentic and accurate displays of the apes. Their hand shakes, their climbing, everything was VERY, very accurate stuff. I didn't love the movie but I think it's still a movie that had alot of good effort put into it.
Just didn't turn out right.