Hot
on the heals of Supernova and Pitch Black is yet another sci-fi film that does'nt
deliver the goods. The film has already been called a low rent 2001, but Mission
to Mars actually owes more to Close Encounters, The Abyss, and Cocoon than the
Stanley Kubrick classic.
As
directed by Brian DePalma (Carrie, The Untouchables, Mission Impossible), Mission
to Mars is a sometimes effective, mostly laughable tale about a rescue mission
and an intriguing discovery on the red planet. Actually, it's really not that
intriguing.
DePalma
has a decent cast to work with including the likes of Tim Robbins, Gary Sinise,
and Don Cheadle. Mission to Mars, however, isn't at all about people, it's about
effects and some of them are quite good (such as a thrilling space walk) while
others are absolutely atroscious (the computer generated alien is one of the worst
looking extra terrestrials I've ever seen in a film). And forget about the dialogue.
Most of it is unintentionally funny.
DePalma
is one of those film-makers that's hit and miss and Mission to Mars is one of
those films that he probably wont be remembered for. What he really misses, is
that sense of wonder and awe a film like this is supposed to evoke. It's a beautiful
film to look at but there is no feeling of wonder. Still, I thank the good lord
above that this film is substantionally better than Lost in Space.
