"I can't see anything." "That's why they're called ghosts!"

It's Mad Max meets The Thing as John Carpenter remakes Rio Bravo for the umpteenth time.

Nigel Bell

Sticking your name in front of a movie title can mean one of two things. You are either on the up or sliding down the directorial ladder so that you have to try desperate measures to make people remember you.

Sadly, John Carpenter falls into the latter. While Ghosts of Mars isn't that bad it doesn't really add anything to the Carpenter cannon, indeed it really is a retread of former glories.

Let's go hunting

He's always been a fan of the John Ford classic Rio Bravo and many of his films have reflected that movies theme, most notably Assault On Precinct 13.

The jist of the tale is that the cops (or sheriff in the Western) find themselves teaming up with a set of villains to overcome an even greater evil force.

Ghosts of Mars is set in 2176. Officers from the Mars police force, led by Pam Grier, are sent to Shining Canyon, a mining town, to pick up public enemy number one James "Desolation" Williams (Ice Cube).

He's been accused of mass murder and stealing money. The theft he doesn't deny. The killings he does and it soon becomes apparent he's telling the truth.

It's giving little of the plot away to say Pam Grier only last a couple of reels before being beheaded by the "ghost" of the piece, a Martian spirit which has possessed the miners in an attempt to oust all humans from the planet and reclaim Mars.

Decapitation is rife throughout the film and it has to be said Carpenter makes it as shocking as you'd expect.

I'm mean and I'm moody

Grier's demise means Lt Melanie Ballard (Henstridge) takes over. A bitter sweet relationship develops between herself and Williams.

One by one our intrepid heroes are cut down. You actually feel for the group because, and praise to the director, the characters are allowed to develop enough individual personality for themselves.

This is standard shoot-em-up fair with all the Carpenter trade marks (including a decent score fleshed out by the now inappropriately named Anthrax). And it's nice to see that in the future our cops will all wear leather hugging uniforms!

The biggest let down is the ending. It's clearly a case of the budget running out and the writers losing all inspiration.

It's a real shame, especially after a Zulu-like "front rank fire, reload, second rank fire" defensive shoot out.

All in all you leave the cinema deflated after a moderate roller coaster of a ride.