Rating: 
Summary: I Loved The Ending
Review: I loved the ending of Mission to Mars so that I could break the DVD in half. I do not think I have seen such a slow-moving and boring movie in my life.Gary Sinise and Tim Robbins should have their SAG cards ripped away from them for starring in this piece of tripe. Bad dialogue, bad cinematography, extremely slow moving plot and over acting make this definately one of the all time worst movies EVER.
Rating:
Summary: Weak
Review: The special FX didn't make up for the weak storyline and the poor acting. The alien encounter is laughable to say the least. Don't bother with this one.
Rating:
Summary: OK, it sucked
Review: I expected the worst out of this movie and got just that. For the first hour, nothing happens; mostly 'quality' NASA equiptment being broken. When you see the ending, you think the movie is bad, but then when you think about it some more it turns out to be a really bad movie. None of it makes sense at all and leaves the movie so unfinished. I can't recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Best i've seen
Review: If you have ever read The Marsion Chronicles you'll love this movie. it's exactly like it only a little bit more down to earth it's exiting only if your a big sci-fiction fan
Rating: 
Summary: Slow and unmoving.
Review: What can I say about "Mission to Mars?" Was I anticipatory? Yes. Was I hopeful? Yes. Was I disappointed? Yes. This is classic movie letdown at its highest peak, reaching far above such letdowns as "Hollow Man" and "Book of Shadows - Blair Witch 2." There is much to blame for its downfall, most of which lies within the storytelling techniques and the all-too-slow pace that the director brings to the picture, and the soundtrack which contains what sound like leftovers from the score to "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." The movie has an overall childish feel to it, which never lets up until the final, anticlimactic ending. The cast must be credited for trying their best, and their efforts are visible and stand out, along with the dazzling special effects, as the elements to pay attention to in this film. The movie starts out slow, giving us time to warm to the characters, the mission, and the detail involved in the story structure. We're introduced to the crew of the mission to the planet Mars, headed by captain Luke Graham (played by Don Cheadle), who feels a slight sense of guilt for his acquirement of the position over Jim McConnell (Gary Sinese), who lost the chance when he opted out to care for his sick wife, who passed away. After this intro, we find the crew on Mars, wandering around collection samples and data, until they come across a large mountain that seems to have a hunger for unwanted visitors (why didn't they just run away?). At this point, our appetites are wet enough to stick through more of the film: the filmmakers know we will obviously want to find out the reasons for the crew's demise, so they milk the rest of the story for everything they can get away with. McConnell heads into space with a resue crew (I guess they felt he deserved a space outing afterhis grounding in "Apollo 13"), where they encounter glitch after glitch, cliche after cliche, until finally landing on Mars to find the remaining crew members and discover a secret that none of them ever thought possible. Touchstone Studios credits this movie as being "enthralling" and "action-packed." For a preteen sci-fi geek who just saw his first sci-fi movie, maybe, but for those of us who want more out of a movie like this, it just doesn't cut it. The movie never gets past juvenile (it's PG, for goodness sake); there is never a moment that seems shocking or unbearable. The only sequence where I found myself willing to hold my breath was in the beginning, during the catastrophic event that crippled the first mission. The movie makes promises that it will build up to more afterwards, but those promises are left in the sun to dry as our characters go through the same old material we've seen done before in better movies of this genre. The one thing I feel is truly to blame for this film's downfall is the treatment that director Brian de Palma gives this potentially good material. In watching this movie, I kept making references to his filming techniques used in "Carrie," which required a slow, tense buildup to its final showdown. De Palma seems to think that this movie is in need of the same perspective, when the story requires a much faster pace. With movies of this sort, we don't want time to breath: give us the answers in a fast, straightforward manner instead of listening to the characters give five-minute speeches about anything that may seem knowledgeable. The movie would be good with a much speedier pace, but de Palma's excruciatingly slow movement is, at times, agonizing just to sit through. And the climax isn't any better, either. Without giving away the secrets of the ending, I'll put it like this: it plays like something you would see in a video on evolution in a second-grade classroom while your teacher provides the sole commentary. You can't really consider this a let-down in relation to the rest of the movie because it pretty much stays on par with the rest of the movie's mentality. The music, which is something I rarely comment on, also brings a childish demeanor to the story while also adding to the slow pacing as well. Case in point: the scene in which there are leaks found in the spacecraft of the rescue mission. The music here is full of organ chords and slow strings, which have the feeling that they want to burst into full vigor, but they never do. This, combined with the flaws mentioned above are responsible for bringing the movie down. This is a shame, because the special effects are some of the best of the year. The movie literally takes us to the planet Mars, creating a visceral and breathtaking world that dazzles the senses while at the same time coming off as looming and ominous. Far away space shots as well as on-planet sequences are seamless in their integration of the actual shot and computer animatics. Character interaction with the planet and its features are magnificent, and not a moment goes by where you will find any doubt lying within the technical wizardry. The cast also aims to please, giving us nice, steady performances even if the material is formulaic at best. The cast, along with Don Cheadle and Gary Sinese, includes Tim Robbins, Connie Nielsen and Jerry O'Connell, all of whom do their best despite the lackluster lines and uninspired tension sequences. The movie does have good intentions, and for a much younger set, it is sure to be pleasing. There is a nice message about the origins of human life and what secrets Mars may potentially hold, but it plays too much like an educational video in an elementary school classroom to be any fun for those seeking juicy sci-fi on a large scale. The trailer is very misleading, which is one of the reasons so many people were anxious to see it. There is a grand vision of the future and our knowledge of human existence to be had with "Mission to Mars," but it never takes us to a level of intensity that we'd expect from a movie of this sort, and so the mission is a failure.
Rating:
Summary: My least favorite movie of the year
Review: I hate this movie. Ever corny plot twist or meladramatic scene possible take place within the course of the excruciating two hours of this film. The characters are obnoxious, the plot boring, and a huge let down of an ending. The only saving grace of this film are the special effects. They look right out of the science fiction magazines of the 1960s which for what its worth is pretty cool.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing to Suspend
Review: Several reviewers say that you need to have a suspension of disbelief to enjoy this film. That's the problem with it. The movie takes itself so seriously that it gives you no room to do just that. It tries to present something as science fact that is beyond disbelief. The point of science fiction is to move beyond what we know with our imagination...not to alter known science fact with the type of prattle in this movie. O.k., let's assume you can forgive the scientific transgressions. There is still a matter of the very sappy story, the inane dialogue, the wooden acting, the not-as-impressive as everyone says CG (starcraft looks better), the overbearing score, shall I continue? At least Battlefield Earth was good as a comedy. Mission to Mars isn't even funny...it's painful. Try to stomach: the sappy opening; the annoying "put on your helmet" scene; the guy who doesn't seem to care about a hole blown through his hand; the "mystifying" Dr. Pepper scene; the affected / unemotional space walk scene (see 2010 for a good one); the "creative" explanation for a satellite landing on a planet; the (worst actor) guy who survives on mars growing plants in a tarp; see Tim Robins express himself like he's acting at gun point The list goes on and on.... I can't get enough of hating this movie. Don't rent it. Don't see it. Please don't give it any more money. Watch Pitch Black (which came out at the same time) and you'll be happy. As one reviewer said, "Pitch Black is a "B" movie that gets an "A" rating; Mission to Mars in an "A" movie that gets a "D-" rating."
Rating:
Summary: Mega-budget "Plan 9"
Review: I like space movies. I am still amazed at the quality of "Forbidden Planet," and think "2001: A Space Odyssey" is perhaps the best film in history. Another idiosyncracy: I seldom tape over a film which I've taped. Granted, "Congo," and "Event Horizon" were films I could take only once, but, by and large I keep 'em for those rainy/snowy/otherwisey days when I feel lazy, the popcorn cup runneth over and exerise seems like a form of corporal punishment. This one is among those I'd tape over. The special effects, while okay, were stolen from everything. Did you get "The Abyss?" Of course--as others have noted--"2001?" And others I don't recall at this point. Oh, I'm among the few who liked DePalma's "Bonfire of the Vanities" too. But this one has more cliches than a retirement party! One critic suggested that DePalma is out to get Sinese. "This is MY mission," says the heartbroken widower, who's found an opportunity among the stars. Plllleeeeeeeze..... May I add to that I do like all the actors. Cheadle is remarkable, Tim Robbins is great, even Sinese. Why did they do this one? Well, it pays the bills. Brian, please spend some time on clever scripts along with ORIGINAL special effects.
Rating:
Summary: MISSION TO NOWHERE!....FAST!
Review: This has got to be one of the WORST movies to come out in a long time. I thought when I saw the other Mars movie "Red Planet" it wouldn't get any worse than that....and it did. The screenplay is amateurish, DePalma has a big budget movie and absolutely fails, yet he only had $300,000 for "Halloween" and scored big time. The movie goes right to the planet, with no intrigue, tension or adventure. The acting is absolutely weak, Gary Sinise has more eye liner on him then his female counter part, and the special effects are fair to midland. The plot is stupid, (I won't give it away), but they steal from "The Abyss", "2001", etc.....and completely fail. An absolute waste of Hollywoods money, how this even got to first stages of being made are beyond my imagination. DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE, DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY, GO OUT WITH YOUR GIRL AND HAVE A CAFE LATTE OR A SUNDAE, AND HAVE SOME HUMAN CONVERSATION.
Rating:
Summary: I loved it. Obvioulsy not evrybody does.
Review: I have to go against the majority. I loved MISSION TO MARS. This movie has a very unusual mix of hard SF and fantasy that is quite unique. It appeals to the individual who is willing to suspend disbelief long enough to dream, while still enjoying the environment of space travel and hardware. There's no cruelty, very little violence and gore, but there is drama, emotion, tension, and delight. Plus the commentary on production details and special effects is one of the best to come along since CONTACT. Juvenile space operas like PHANTOM MENACE put me to sleep, but MISSION TO MARS is a gem that I can watch again and again, despite the oft-cited scientific flaws. Finally, Connie Nielsen is in the movie.
| 
