MISSION TO MARS (PG)
D: Brian De Palma
Buena Vista/Touchstone (Tom Jacobson)
US 2000
112 mins
Science Fiction
W: Jim Thomas, John Thomas & Graham
Yost
DP: Stephen H. Burum
Ed: Paul Hirsch
Mus: Ennio Morricone
Gary Sinise (Jim McConnell), Tim Robbins (Woody Blake),
Don Cheadle (Luke Graham), Connie Nielsen (Terri Fisher), Jerry O'Connell (Phil Ohlmyer)
Tepid, preposterous and unremarkable sci-fi in which a
team of astronauts travel to Mars to rescue survivors of a previous mission, who discovered that the planet was once inhabited.
The recycled storyline magpies off better science fiction
films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Abyss amongst others, with additional product placement and rather poor special effects. There's also an advert for Dr. Pepper slung into the
narrative, because... well, what's the worst that can happen?
3/10