

Advertising Space
Mission to Mars

By Ross Anthony

What just happened on screen? Here's the best I can make of it: a rather
B-script with some G-force actors.

In a ten-minute, backyard-BBQ, introductory scene (here on Earth), we meet
the astronauts and their families via some gratuitous, expository
relationship background and goodbyes. The next thing we know, these folks
are on the red planet. "Mission to Mars" is not about getting there. It's
about salvaging the mission of the crew that meets with a rather unexpected,
unexplainable catastrophe while hanging out collecting rocks one day.

Basically, an upside-down tornado slowly builds up force just meters in
front of the four earthlings. Yet, they stand calmly as the martian stones
between their feet are pulled forward then thrust a kilometer into the
atmosphere. What were they thinking? Turn and run to the ship, you silly
mammals!

>From there, the rest of the film is a rescue mission launched off of the
World Space Station as it floats around the solar system.

The humans in their little white suits seem projected onto this man-made
Mars backdrop, space, or spacecraft -- kind of like Dorothy's gang in OZ.
The special effects are garden-variety: most fine to midland, some cheesy,
some impressive. A centrifugal gravity chamber of the rescue craft is very
nicely simulated. The suits are convincing, but space movies love to put
lights inside the astronauts' helmets. It's dark in space, do they really
think space-pioneers would appreciate penlights three inches from their
cheekbones shining into their eyeballs? Nope, but it sure looks good on
film. Lastly, fossil fuels in deep space in the year 2020? Doubtful.

Tim Robbins' presence is the only perfect thing about the film. Gary
Sinise's performance is also solid.

The producer quips, "If we've done our jobs right we'll be one big
advertisement for continuation of human space explorations." Hopefully
that's true, but concerning claims of advertisement, "Mission to Mars" shows
no shame in selling "space" to cola and candy products.

Though a few well-delivered one-liners tickled this audience, there were
equally as many embarrassingly unintentional gut-busters. Adequately
compelling, you may find the hokey "Mission to Mars" slightly insulting to
your adult intellect. However, the patient 10-year-old might just worship
this movie (if any exist).

FYI: Mars is visible to the naked eye in the night sky and it really is red.

Mission to Mars. Copyright © 2000. Rated PG.
Starring Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry
O'Connell, Peter Outerbridge, Kavan Smith, Jill Teed, Elise Neal, Kim
Delaney.
Directed by Brian De Palma.
Screenplay by Jim Thomas and John Thomas.
Produced by Tom Jacobson at Touchstone.

Grade..........................B-

--
Copyright © 2000. Ross Anthony, currently based in Los Angeles, has scripted
and shot documentaries, music videos, and shorts in 35 countries across
North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. For more reviews visit:
http://RossAnthony.com