Mars Attacks! (30th Anniversary) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening

Release Date: August 11, 2026

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Release Rating: 7.5/10

Synopsis:

Superstar Jack Nicholson as the President of the United States greeting invaders from outer space? Anything can and does happen when the twisted mind of director Tim Burton plunges planet Earth into complete pandemonium in this all-star sci-fi spoof.

Based on the Topps trading cards of the same name, ‘Mars Attacks!’ accompanies a variety of colorful characters whose lives are upended when the Martians come calling. Initially arriving under a claim of peace but with sinister intentions behind everything, the goofy ride from director Tim Burton chronicles the mayhem and madness throughout the country and beyond as the President and others in power must try and figure out some way to stop the extraterrestrial attackers before the world’s population is eradicated.

Directed by iconic filmmaker Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands) from a screenplay written by Jonathan Gems, Burton does a spectacular job guiding along ‘Mars Attacks’ and fully embracing its goofy, violent and over the top nature with style and humor throughout. The film’s remarkable cast includes a collection of talented stars including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Tom Jones, Lukas Haas, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Jack Black, Lisa Marie and more, with most offering fittingly goofy and over the top performances in their roles that consistently complement this zany tale.

‘Mars Attacks’ was first unleashed upon moviegoers in late 1996 and was met with a mediocre response by many, although as a teenager at the time I can still vividly remember catching this one in theaters opening weekend and having a complete blast while being blown away with just how crazy, violent and tongue-in-cheek it was through and through; to this day it’s one of my favorite films from beloved filmmaker Tim Burton (although to be fair I have many) and having not revisited this one in a good few years I can honestly say it still holds up surprisingly well and delivers a wildly fun and massively entertaining good time from start to finish.

In addition to the capable effects which were clearly created with care, director Tim Burton never loses a beat and always goes entirely in with the spoof vibe, only taking things further and to more hilariously ridiculous levels as the movie progresses, with a star-studded cast of talent to back it up and repeatedly add to the fun. If you’ve never had the pleasure of this wonderfully silly gem but have ever been at all interested or are a fan of Burton’s work in general then I would strongly encourage rectifying that when possible, and I can’t imagine a better time to do so with it finally debuting in stunning 4K after all these years.

Tim Burton’s zany 1996 alien-invasion spoof ‘Mars Attacks!’ invades your home in 4K at last in celebration if its thirtieth anniversary, courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. The film debuts on UHD sporting a magnificent full Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10 that looks tremendous throughout and is perfectly complemented by a wildly aggressive and immersive Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that combined have this great, goofy ride looking and sounding better than ever, and better than many (including myself) might expect. In addition to the noteworthy video and audio upgrades offered, the release also includes a pair of brand new retrospective Featurettes reflecting on the movie and its legacy over the years. If you’re a fan of ‘Mars Attacks!’ that has been hoping to see it arrive home in 4K then this release is very much worth picking up and highly recommended!

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Mars Attacks’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks outstanding as a whole and it offers up a sharp, clean and richly detailed presentation from start to finish that never suffers from any issues to be located along the way and has this fun romp looking better than ever before by a pretty good margin. Detail is impressive at every turn and everything from character specifics to the Martians themselves and the array of attack scenes and showdowns all shine. The Dolby Vision HDR enhances numerous elements along the way including a much wider and more vibrant collection of colors that repeatedly stand out and benefit from the almost cartoonish look, while black levels remain capably deep, rich and absent of any problems. Overall, this is a fantastic Ultra High Definition presentation that looks wonderful throughout and should absolutely thrill fans.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack (as well as the original Theatrical audio presentation in 5.1 DTS-HD MA). Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is perhaps even more notable than the video presentation and it delivers a wildly aggressive, immersive and just spectacular soundtrack that keeps the fun coming at full speed. It constantly takes full advantage of all seven available channels in order to send a flood of activity repeatedly whipping throughout the various speakers and including everything from music, crowd noise and a great deal of action effects such as lasers and explosions; while also giving your subwoofer a few great opportunities to show off its stuff. Overall, this is a phenomenal Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that never underwhelms in the slightest and regularly contributes even more fun and excitement to the experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Mars Attacks’ features a pair of brand new Featurettes reflecting on the film and its impact. The included Featurettes are ‘Looking Back on Mars Attacks!’ (running approximately 7 minutes in length) and ‘Ack! Ack! Aesthetic’ (running approximately 11 minutes).

*Please note: The above images are taken from the film’s Trailer and are not reflective of the actual 4K Ultra HD release or its quality. A standard Blu-ray copy of the film was not included in the release that could be used for screenshots therefore the above images were utilized. All content and images from the film are the property of their respective owners.

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Release Rating: 7.5/10

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‘Mars Attacks!’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD disc & Digital from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

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You can Purchase ‘Mars Attacks’ on 4K UHD at Amazon HERE!

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