Mission to Mars
Mission to Mars

Mission to Mars

2000Movie114 minEnglish

When the first manned mission to Mars meets with a catastrophic and mysterious disaster after reporting an unidentified structure, a rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back any survivors.

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IMDb5.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes48%
Metacritic54/100
Google Users53%
Director: Brian De PalmaGenres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery

Plot Summary

In 2020, the first manned mission to Mars, commanded by Bob Gavan, mysteriously vanishes after landing. A second mission, with a new crew including Commander Luke Graham and geologist Woody Blake, is launched to investigate. Upon arrival, they discover the remains of the first mission and a strange, crystalline structure that appears to be artificial. As they delve deeper, they uncover a profound revelation about the origins of life on Earth and the nature of humanity's place in the universe.

Critical Reception

Mission to Mars received generally mixed to negative reviews from critics, with many finding its plot convoluted and its scientific accuracy questionable. While some praised its ambitious visual effects and thematic aspirations, the majority felt it failed to deliver a compelling narrative. Audience reception was similarly lukewarm, with many viewers expressing disappointment in the film's ambiguous ending and pacing.

What Reviewers Say

  • Visually impressive with ambitious ideas, but ultimately hampered by a confusing and unsatisfying plot.
  • Struggles to balance spectacle with a coherent narrative, leaving many questions unanswered.
  • A thought-provoking but flawed attempt at intelligent science fiction.

Google audience: Audiences were divided, with some appreciating the film's grander scientific and philosophical themes and visual effects. However, many found the plot too convoluted, the ending unsatisfying, and the overall experience less engaging than anticipated.

Fun Fact

The iconic crystalline structure on Mars was inspired by the writings of Erich von Däniken, particularly his theories about ancient astronaut encounters.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
RalphRahal

RalphRahal

Brian De Palma's Mission to Mars (2000) delivers an engaging space exploration adventure that still holds up as a fascinating depiction of outer space, especially given the limited technical knowledge available at the time. While it may not...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

When a mission to explore the red planet goes wrong, stranding "Luke" (Don Cheadle) alone on this hostile world, his colleagues "Woody" (Tim Robbins), "Jim" (Gary Sinese), "Terri" (Connie Nielsen) and "Phil" (Jerry O'Connell) put huge press...
John Chard

John Chard

Some couples dance, others go to Mars. It was the year of two Mars based movies, with the other being Red Planet, of Pitch Black and the chaotic history that produced the Supernova. Plenty of sci-fi around but sadly few decent offerings....