Mission To Mars

December 11, 2004

Rated: PG Runtime: 114 min Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

DVD Quick Take

Although not a bad movie by a long shot, this movie didn’t excite us too much in the theater. However, even then we were thinking what a potentially good DVD this movie could make. We were a little worried though because Touchstone (Disney) isn’t excactly known for making killer DVD’s. But this time they delivered. Both the audio and video are absolutely top notch. The video in particular will really let you show off a large widescreen TV, and the sound although not raucious is very tastefully well done and will wake up your subwoofer and rear speakers when the scenes call for it.

Mission To Mars

Original Review of the Theatrical Release

Pitch Black and Supernova gave it a shot, but this is the first big SciFi movie of the new millennium. Director Brian De Palma hits us with a strong cast, some great effects, but unfortunately a bit of a mediocre screenplay.

We’re introduced to a couple of crews of astronauts who are involved in the first manned missions to Mars. The first crew runs into some problems on the surface and the movie really starts to unfold when the second team has their mission converted to a rescue mission to race to Mars to investigate and help the first team. They find alot more than anyone expected.

The premise is pretty good, the special effects are outstanding and the cast led by Sinise and Robbins is excellent. There are several really great sequences in this film that are pretty intense and extremely well done. The problem is the stuff in-between really drags at times. De Palma has obviously been watching alot of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey prior to making this, and unfortunately he picked up a Stanley Kubrick habit of not knowing when to edit out some dreck and just get on with the danged story.

This is one of those movies that is best seen without knowing alot about it going in, unfortunately the trailers themselves give away far too much. You also do need to really see these effects on the big screen. They didn’t go for the jaw dropping visuals like Pitch Black, instead they created scenery that was very believable and made us believe the film really was in space. I would compare it very much to the type of effects seen in Apollo 13.

We give this movie 3 stars. I dont think it is one you’ll want to watch over and over again even if you are a hardcore SciFi fan. However, it really should be experienced on the big screen. Unfortunately this one is rated PG so not only will you see no breasts, expect to have to tolerate a few kids in the theater. Catch it anyway, we recommend the late show.

Posted by Billy Bob | Filed Under 3 Stars, Action, Connie Nielsen, DVD, Don Cheadle, Gary Sinise, PG, SciFi, Tim Robbins