Mars Attacks! (1996)
Humanity faces absurdly campy Martian invaders whose "peaceful" intentions quickly turn into darkly comic annihilation.
A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.
How intense is Mars Attacks!?
Mars Attacks! is mildly scary, with graphic gore and strong violence. Emotionally it carries some weight. The pace is brisk, and it is a party watch and a late-night trip. The humor runs dark and absurdist. Rated PG-13.
What Mars Attacks! feels like
- Tone
- campydarkly comicabsurdistpulpy
- Pace
- Brisk
- Humor
- dark and satirical, absurdist
- Best for
- PartyLate night
Where to stream Mars Attacks!
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 13, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Mars Attacks! for you?
Is Mars Attacks! scary?
Only a little. Mars Attacks! has a few tense moments (scare level 1 of 3), nothing that follows you to bed.
Is Mars Attacks! gory or violent?
Graphic gore (2 of 3) and strong violence (2 of 3). If graphic gore is a dealbreaker, skip it.
Is Mars Attacks! sad or heavy?
A little. There is some emotional weight (1 of 3), but it is not a heavy watch.
Is Mars Attacks! OK for kids?
It is rated PG-13. Intensity: scare 1, gore 2, violence 2, each out of 3. Your call for older kids.
How long is Mars Attacks!?
Mars Attacks! runs 1h 46m.
Where can I stream Mars Attacks!?
Mars Attacks! is streaming on Kanopy, The Roku Channel, Plex and Tubi.
Does Mars Attacks! have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
It leaves the ending open to interpretation.
Cast and crew
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