Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6024 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-08-01
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Italian
• Dubbed in: Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 109 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
If Brian De Palma directed Mission to Mars for 10-year-olds who have never seen a science fiction film, he can be credited for crafting a marginally successful adventure. Isolated moments in this film serve the highest purpose of its genre, inspiring a sense of wonder and awe in the context of a fascinating future (specifically, the year 2020). But because most of us have seen a lot of science fiction films, it's impossible to ignore this one's derivative plot, cardboard characters and drearily dumb dialogue. Despite an awesome and painstakingly authentic display of cool technology and dazzling special effects, Mission to Mars is light years away from 2001: A Space Odyssey on the scale of human intelligence.

After dispensing with a few space-jockey clichés, the movie focuses on a Mars-bound rescue mission commanded by Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), whose team (Tim Robbins, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O'Connell) has been sent to retrieve the sole survivor (Don Cheadle) of a tragic Mars landing. During the sequence en route to Mars, De Palma is in his element with two suspenseful scenes (including a dramatic--albeit somewhat silly--space walk) that are technically impressive. But when this Mission gets to Mars, the movie grows increasingly unconvincing, finally arriving at an alien encounter that more closely resembles an astronomical CGI video game. But this is a $75 million Hollywood movie, and no amount of technical wizardry can lift the burden of a juvenile screenplay. Kudos to Sinise, his co-stars, and the special effects wizards for making the most of hoary material; shame on just about everyone else involved. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

Video Description
DVD Special Features (TO BE CONFIRMED):

Theatrical trailer(s)
Audio Commentary Animatics to Scene Comparison
Documentary "Visions of Mars"
Visual Effects Analysis Production
Art Gallery
DVD-ROM Features
Widescreen anamorphic format

Synopsis
In 2020, a group of astronauts headed by Luke Graham (Don Cheadle) set out to be the first humans on Mars. After they've landed, they investigate a strange noise near an unusual rock formation, and an unpredicted storm conjures up a living tunnel of sand that wipes out everyone except Graham. His pals back on a space station near Earth spring to his rescue despite the concern of their stodgy Russian captain (Peter Outerbridge) that in the year it will take to reach him, Graham will likely die. Nonetheless, they have to try it. Manning the spacecraft is Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), a shaky but brilliant space cadet mourning the death of his wife (Kim Delaney); newcomer Phil (Jerry O'Connell); and married astronauts Woody (Tim Robbins) and Terri (Connie Nielsen). After various catastrophic setbacks, they make it to Mars in time to discover some shocking secrets, including the very origin of life in the universe. Highlighted by staggering special effects, this ambitious Brian De Palma film straddles the void between Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and Cameron's THE ABYSS, with imaginative results. The music is by Ennio Morricone.

Customer Reviews

Oh dear oh dear.
Great cast, great idea, plausible ship, credible science, but what happened? The story fizzled, the ending kind of an anti-climax, and I was so very disappointed.

I figured what with genuine NASA people involved that this movie would be a space geek's (i.e. me) heaven but even with six time astronaut Storey Musgrave this tale just dragged.

I won't spoil the story (such as it was) for those who haven't seen it, but it involves Mars, Cydonia and the face in the rock, Martians and what happens when you have nothing else left to lose.

I'd say avoid this movie, but in my heart I want to like it, it has everything a space geek could want. It just didn't work for me. Perhaps you'd like it?

Mediocre sci-fi
This certainly isn't the worst science fiction movie...look to Battlefield Earth or Red Planet for that.However it certainly isn't the greatest either.
The story idea is good, centering as it does on a rescue mission from earth to rescue stranded astronauts on Mars. The effects are as high quality as you would expect in a modern sci-fi movie.Yet somehow it always feels as though something is missing and that the movie is never quite believable. The pace of the film is just too slow, the dialogue is corny at times and the characters too cliched. Only the acting ability of the cast saves it from becoming a mess of a movie.
All in all it is movie that can be called OK; it is watchable and makes a pleasant change from the usual fast action movies in this genre. Just don't expect to be blown away by it.

If you like sci-fi, avoid this film
This isn't the worst film ever made, but it sure comes close. It seems that Brian De Palma treated the script was like he was a kid in a candy store - he wanted to stuff as much in as possible. Was this film not edited? Did nobody watch the film during post-production and realise that it would have been a bit better had all the slow, boring, pointless bits been cut out? Apparantly not... after all, when watching her husband die, how many times can a wife utter the words "Oh God no"?

Also, it plagiaries so many films: 2001, Contact, Star Trek, Close Encounters and on and on - could they not think of any original ideas? The basic premise is fine, but so much time is wasted on the most trivial of events. I'm convinced the original screenplay ran to 3 pages or less and De Palma just stuffed a bunch of useless crap in to achieve a decent running length. There are so many basic, factual errors - you would learn more about space travel by reading the Beano!

I feel sorry for Gary Sinise, so often the bridesmaid and never the bride; finally he has the leading role, and this is what he gets.

Anyway, it gave me and my wife a good laugh. Thank goodness it was on TV and I didn't waste any money on it. I advise you to do likewise.