John Carpenter’s “Ghosts of Mars” helped Jason Statham become a star

Since the early 2000s, Jason Statham has been a leading figure in the action genre, through iconic roles in Transporters, The consumables, And crank. However, over the years, many people have forgotten his first Hollywood project, which was directed by a legendary director. In 2001, the actor completed his transition from British comedy and obscure cinema to American science fiction and horror.

Jason Statham began his acting career under Guy Ritchie and made a name for himself in films such as Grab And Jack, Queen, King, GRAS. However, after making his way to Hollywood, the actor turned away from comedy and crime to become an action star, taking on a number of projects in that vein. During this transition, the star worked alongside visionary director John Carpenter in what is considered to be perhaps the most underrated film of both men’s careers. This overlooked 2001 film blends elements of horror, western, crime and action, combining an impressive cast with a great story – one that didn’t quite go down well with audiences.

Statham appeared in one of John Carpenter’s most underrated films

John Carpenter has been a leading figure in Hollywood since the 1980s, when he helped acting legends such as Kurt Russell, Keith David and Jamie Lee Curtis build their careers. While some of his best films have been hugely successful within their respective genres, the director has made more cult classics than box office hits. Although the director has very few “bad” films, a combination of niche ideas, stiff competition and low budgets has meant that some of his best films have taken a while to get going. One of the best examples of this is 2001’s “The 4000.” Ghosts of Marsa horror space western that is unfairly considered the worst-rated film of Carpenter’s career. However, it also introduced US audiences to Jason Statham.

Ghosts of Mars begins with a council of leaders in the Martian city of Chryse in 2176 questioning a marshal. Officer Melanie Ballard, the sole survivor of her unit after an incident in a small mining town, recounts her efforts to find a prisoner, Desolation Williams, and bring him to town. Upon arriving in the town of Shining Canyon, the officers discover the mutilated remains of several of its residents, some of whom have been hung upside down and left hanging. Ballard’s group consists of leader Helena Braddock, cocky Sergeant Jericho (Statham), and two rookies, Bashira Kincaid and Michael Descanso. When Ballard finally encounters Desolation, a scuffle initially ensues, but she later manages to capture and imprison the suspected killer, along with a small group of surviving criminals and a science officer, all of whom are in the prison cell.

As they investigate, Ballard tells the story from multiple perspectives and explains to the council what her teammates have told her. As the group splits up to find their prisoner, they discover the presence of a gang of self-mutilating killers, later revealed to be the inhabitants possessed by the spirits of Mars’ native species. When a host is killed, the spirit leaves its body and seeks out the next host to carry on. These killers are an aggressive, warlike species and hunt any survivors they can find. As Jericho hides from the savages, he finds a group of men who later turn out to be part of Williams’ gang, and the cops soon lock them up. However, realizing they are hopelessly outnumbered, the marshals decide to release the crooks and join forces to fight their way to the armored train that dropped them off.

Ghosts of Mars is reminiscent of another Carpenter classic

Ghosts of Mars is by far not the first film by John Carpenter that refers to the Western genre. One of his first hits, Attack on District 13skilfully takes up the plot of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravowhich tells the story of a lawman, played by John Wayne, who defends his prison against a gang of attackers. Ghosts of Mars takes a significantly different direction and is closer in tone and plot to the stereotypical “cowboys and Indians” style of Western. Here, the themes of settlers and colonists clashing with the natives of a dangerous frontier play a key role, but with significantly less nuance than in the standard Western.

Ghosts of Mars bears a strong resemblance to a recent horror western film, Bone Tomahawkwhich focuses on a lost tribe of Native American cannibals. The cliché of lost societies brutally encountering a more civilized group of protagonists has characterized much of Western filmmaking for decades. In Carpenter’s film, the lack of meaningful characterization of the villains makes for a rather standard shoot-out scene. Thanks to the terrifying, inhuman design of the villains and their relentless violence, he strips the story of the ethical considerations of a typical Western.

By using alternate perspectives in the film, Carpenter is able to build tension as the various pieces of the puzzle come together to form a clear picture of events. As each character’s contribution to the investigation is examined, the horror of the situation only grows until one finally realizes the threat they face. As far as Western themes go, the film’s inspiration couldn’t be clearer, and the desert on Mars offers great potential to explore the genre beyond Earth.

Ghosts of Mars shaped Statham’s career

Although his character suffers a grim fate in the film, Jason Statham’s portrayal of Jericho has helped define his career in Hollywood as a cocky, yet heroic and tough protagonist. From his role as Lee Christmas in The consumables to his portrayal of Jonas Taylor in The Meg, he has remained one of the most consistent actors in terms of the personality he exudes. This was a continuation of the people he played under Guy Ritchie, who reflected the same arrogant cockney that Statham built himself up to be.

Ghosts of Mars has one of the lowest ratings of John Carpenter’s filmography, sitting at a meager 4.9/10 on IMDB, although Statham has his share of lower-rated duds. The film was one of the director’s last films before entering his semi-retirement phase. The film’s video game-inspired structure made it an interesting companion piece to 2005’s Downfallboth dealing with the same themes, the terraforming of Mars and the mysteries of the Red Planet. Both films also have the same dysfunctional team dynamics between the heroes, albeit in different ways. The character Jericho seems almost interchangeable in both films.

Statham had made a name for himself primarily through British films, namely Grab And Jack, Queen, King and Grass before moving to Hollywood. After taking on a supporting role in the film Turn It Up the year before, the actor launched into a more action-packed career thanks to Carpenter’s horror film. He then took on a role alongside Jet Li in The OneThe actor finally made his debut in 2002 in a leading role The transporterwhere he proved he has what it takes to lead a franchise. However, the actor still does some of his best work in an ensemble, as in The consumables Movies.

Ghosts of Mars is worth a look

Ghosts of Marsis, despite what the critics say, an entertaining film, made even better by its cast, which includes Ice Cube, Pam Grier, Natasha Henstridge, and of course, Jason Statham. With a terrifying villain in Big Daddy Mars and a desolate setting, the film has all the makings of an entertaining space western. The film helped introduce American audiences to a young Statham, whose Cockney accent and confidence made him likable to a generation of moviegoers. To make things even better for the star, Jericho is also written as the film’s most relatable, down-to-earth character, which is evident in virtually all of his scenes.

Although it was by far not the best film of all those involved in the project, Ghosts of Mars offers viewers a healthy dose of scares, action, and world-building. The film will be of particular interest to fans of the Western, bringing the dangers of the old American West to Mars and doubling it down for some entertaining frontier exaggeration. It’s clear throughout the film that those involved understood what kind of movie they were making, and it’s best enjoyed with a suspension of skepticism. Statham may not be the star of the film, but he makes the strongest impression on viewers as a newcomer to Hollywood at the time, helped by his character being given some of the film’s best lines.