Customer Reviews

Mission to Mars

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(56)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(50)
1 star:		(110)

 

 

After having viewed the film at a cinema during its initial release, I purchased the DVD when it became available. I enjoyed the acting, the characters, the CGI, the music and the story. In short, I was entertained. Others have chosen to provide harsh comments. Personally, I enjoyed the film. I happen to be a science-fiction author and I like a good story. Mission to Mars provided that. I don't think Brian De Palma was trying to do anything more than entertain in an appealing way. As far as this reviewer is concerned, he succeeded.

You would think that the movie being reviewed here was a lame 50's or 70's B movie entitle "Attack of the Killer Blonde Bimbos" or something to that effect. I recently got a chance to view this entire film the other night and all I've got to say is "Man! This is a valuable lesson of not listening to the negative reviews before getting a chance to see the movie!! And, sad to say, this is exactly what kept me from seeing this movie for so long. I made the mistake of listening to all the negative ink about it. I can guarantee you that you will find this film at least very likable. The story is good and so is the acting, even though there may be a couple of hokey parts in the film. Most of it, though, is highly enjoyable and VERY believable. This has to be one best, as well as underrated, sci-fi films ever made. Definitely worth at least one viewing and definitely better than "Red Planet"!

Possibly the best near-future space exploration epic ever filmed, surpassing even such quality fare as "Stranded" and "2001" & "2010". Realistic and believable and fairly technical, but unlike too many skeptics-concious current science fiction, not afraid to dream big and speculate grand. Top-notch performances all around and oustanding technical aspects, plus superior characterization in a genre that sometimes seems to feel it has to make its players either cold and cynical or cocky and beligerent to be believable. Gripping from the start, with a fantastic finale, "Mission To Mars" is likely to awaken a curiousity for space, a sense of wonder and adventure, and an appreciation for the night sky in even the most jaded and disinterested hearts.

This is a great film despite what the critics say. Gary Sinise puts in a good performance as the washed out astronaut Jim McConnell who heads a rescue team to Mars after the mysterious death of three of the four astronauts already on the planet. Okay, so this quite is a slow moving film but it has superb special effects, pretty good acting, and a great cast all round. The plot isn't too complicated either; it follows the rescuers as they head for Mars and the trials and tribulations they face on the long and monotonous journey to the Red Planet. There is a fantastic space walk scene with Tim Robbins, some fun moments in the form of a "perfect" woman's DNA made entirely of sweets, and the occasional gruesome part such as the freezing to death of Tim Robbins character when he commits suicide outside the space craft in order to save his wife and crew. The rescue mission has now become a fight for survival for the three remaining astronauts who finally land on the Red Planet after loosing most of their space ship to a fuel leak. They do however find the only survivor of the previous expedition played brilliantly by Don Cheadle who has gone "native" for want of a better description. Together the four astronauts try to find out what killed Cheadle's friends and in doing so come across Mars incredible secret; once long ago Mars was inhabited, and its legacy lies deep underground, but earlier disturbance by Cheadle and his now dead companions (look out for the great whirlwind that effect that wipes out the first expedition) has bought it to the surface and it is a gigantic carving of humanoid looking face. It is this face that will led the Astronauts to the most breathtaking discovery of all; the origin of life on earth. This film is well worth seeing though you wouldn't believe it after the panning it got. I have fast come to the opinion that many critics aren't interested in intelligent science fiction anymore, but rather want blockbusters like "The Phantom Menace" which is great fun but don't exactly put a strain on the little gray cells. Mission to Mars is intelligent whilst still being enjoyable, fun whilst still being serious. So come on folks so many of you liked "2001 A Space Odessey" when it came out so why not give Mission to Mars a chance? You never know, you just might enjoy it.

I got this on "impulse" quickly and did not read the reviews. Woe was me - I read them later and tried to can the order, expecting a real turkey.

How wrong I was. I realize that the opening shots of the film are a little domestic, but in these scenes and in the remainder of the film I started to develop a broad suspicion which was later confirmed towards the end. Brian DePalmer did not like "Aliens", nor did he like "Psycho", or "Event horizon"... and naturally, the critics do not now like Mr DePalmer!

These films, whose mere mention makes me feel a bit queasy, are so distant from this film, I'm not surprised that this effort has attracted considerable fire. Mr DePalma has cut across convention and followed his instincts, and the result is very good indeed!

What De-Palmer has done is remarkable from several points of view. He has stuck to realistic physics - and I would be quite confident about maintaining this in spite of comments everywhere to the contrary - dialogue I would really want to believe in (assuming that the future is NOT some nightmare fusion between Macdonalds in space and the Bates Motel, in which case, you can count me outa here anyway), and observations about character and goodness that I would be very hopeful for and encouraged by.

The basic premise of the film is not so crazy at all, and is far, far more believable than the almost insane backdrop of ideas behind 2001. (having said that I guess I've really torn it now)

The music was the biggest surprise. My wife noticed this immediately, and she does not always take such sharp notice as I tend to. This score is far, far better than anything I have heard ouside of the debussy / Vaughan Williams / Delius grouping, and it is a great piece of work in it's own right.

The special effects are very well worked out, again, don't really violate physics or descend into a floorless mysticism, which has bothered me about a few recent films.

To more mundane matters. The DVD is organised very well, and my kids very much appreciated the extras, which include quite detailed expalnations of set construction and design. Some of this was really breathtaking. I think I must have just laughed and said something like, "wow.. no WAY could I do that!" As my kids are really interested in filming anyway, this section was a completely unexpected bonus.

There is science fiction and then there is science fantasy. This is real science fiction. Its accurate, its obviously for the fan who watched and loved HBO's "From the earth to the moon" and it is realistic.
No shortcuts through the wormhole, warp space or other flights of fantasy. And its the only thing I've liked Tim Robbins in.

Brian De Palma's "Mission to Mars" is one of the most frequently slammed films of all time. I believe there is a psychology behind this that is rooted in the "herd mentality." Yet I also acknowledge that some of the harsh criticism is a visceral reaction by people...I know because we first saw it in the movie theater and my wife (a former college professor) had the same kind of negative reaction. In fact, I remember being somewhat angry because that almost ruined it for me.

Since then I have had a chance to view this marvelous film many times (by myself!). I keep hearing the words "cliche-ridden" and "derivative." But what movie ISN'T cliche-ridden and derivative? When it comes to dialogue, isn't most human conversation full of cliches and sound bytes? Yes, people really do talk like this. The truth of the matter is that people don't talk the way that actors do in movies. In reality, the conversation in "Mission to Mars" is probably more realistic than in other movies for that reason.

On the point of being derivative, that's one of the plot points that I believe is a positive. Obviously parts of the film are derivative of Ron Howard's Apollo 13, but what people tend to forget is that Apollo 13 really happened. Don't blame De Palma for the fact that space travel can be dangerous. What do you do when you have car trouble in outer space? And consider the fact that most unmanned missions to Mars have been failures. The "disaster" aspect of Mission to Mars was brilliant and well executed, particularly with regard to the micro-meteorites. The scene where the camera pans back to show us how badly damaged the propellant tanks were is absolutely chilling. Tim Robbins' character was not allowed to fully investigate because of the time window and angle for reentry.

There are so very few films that have dealt seriously and realistically with outer space: 2001, 2010, Outland, and a few others. What De Palma has done is to give us a realistic look at what a manned mission to Mars might be like, with the very real risk of mission failure. NASA purportedly worked very closely with the filmmakers to ensure that everything was accurate. Of course, it goes without saying that De Palma's people withheld the key "alien" plot point, which angered NASA people when they found out. It is from this source that most of the negativity is coming from for this film, and the public picked up on that. However, even those who knew nothing about the NASA fracas would conceivably reacte in a visceral fashion since De Palma, in a sense, not only deceived NASA, but the audience, by playing it strictly by the book until the aliens step in, and then it's off to Oz. I think this is what upsets people, because I cannot think of one criticism that is valid here except that one.

The ending, and the alien's "back story" is not only compelling but innovative. We already know that Mars had a cataclysm because the planet is virtually dead...there is almost no strength in what remains of its electromagnetic field. The idea that life could have been born on Mars is not only fascinating but quite likely, given what we know about Mars today and its water.

The performances, FX and musical score are all above-average. But could it be possible that De Palma didn't want to make an "Ordinary People" in outer space. D'ya think? Clearly the story is not meant to focus upon the characters or in dramatic exchanges, except to the point where the death of Maggie is given new meaning and her surviving husband experiences reconciliation with the universe.

Watch this movie with an open mind and ignore the critics. The one scene that I found hilarious is when Luke finds out the Rescue Mission lost their ship and says, "This is a rescue mission?" The irony of that statement was lost on most I'm sure.

If you are the typical hormone-besotted male mind in today's audiences that are the target of Hollywood's recent fascination with flying bodies pummeling and kicking each other in air, this movie is not for you.

For the rest of us above the age of consent, director Brian De Palma has created a precious return to the earlier and more enduring cinematic values of humanity. The story is a quantum leap above earlier forms of the genre. A fine, professional cast delivers superb performances in the rendering of the story. It is supported and enhanced beautifully by an excellent music score, and realized in seamless compositing between traditional art, computer graphics and photography.

The story begins at the level of normal interchange between the explorers who are well represented. As we move along with the crew into the exploration of the most interesting planetary neighbor in our solar system, we encounter love, sacrifice, and valor. The result is the achievement of an uplifting and inspiring cinema experience, depicting a somewhat erudite theory that is growing in popularity among many of the scientists of its time. It culminates in the glory of incomparable possibilities.

Highly recommended if you care for discerning cinema!

Okay, so the Epcot-esque finale is more fromage than homage, and is remniscent of the touchy-feely, ending of THE ABYSS. But there' enough hard-SciFi realism to rivet the attention spans of most physicists.

Leave no doubt in your mind, the worst Brian De Palma flick is leagues better than the best Michael Bey(Armageddon) opus. If you thought that Armageddon was good SciFi, then I'm surprised you're reading this. As a matter of fact...I would be suprised that you would know how to read, at all?!

The plot, what little of it there is, concerns Tim Robbins and Gary Sinise who play astronauts on the 2nd Martian mission. It would seem that Don Cheadle is the only surviving member of the first mission, whose purpose was, apparently, to build a bridge between the two peaks (wink wink to Monty Python) of Mount Olympus...or some such foolishness.

But the plot, as in Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, is secondary to the breathtaking visuals of the dangerous crossing from Earth-to-Martian-space the crew endures. Without giving too much away, there's a frightening depressurization when the ship strikes micrometeorites just prior to Mars orbital insertion, and the ensuing action is gripping enough to hold fans jaded by most "junk science" space movie fare.

DePalma was castigated by nearly all critics for this film. It was seen as derivative, hack work, tedious, with faxed-in performances, and a botched ending. The latter criticism may have legs. The ending, in parts, feels contrived and the CGI folks let the viewer down. No point spoiling it however. This film is a humanist epic, rolled out on a large scale, at a measured pace. Such qualities are hideously undervalued by today's moviegoing audience. There is genuine emotion in the characters' relationships, the acting is very fine and honest. And best of all, DePalma shows us that you really can dance to classic rock--in 0 gravity, that is.
Give Mission to Mars a shot. It lingers.
Jason Rosenfeld