Mission to Mars (2000)

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

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Lowell Cannon (story), Jim Thomas (story),

Stars:

Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Sinise	...	Jim McConnell
Tim Robbins	...	Woody Blake
Don Cheadle	...	Luke Graham
Connie Nielsen	...	Terri Fisher
Jerry O'Connell	...	Phil Ohlmyer
Peter Outerbridge	...	Sergei Kirov
Kavan Smith	...	Nicholas Willis
Jill Teed	...	Reneé Coté
Elise Neal	...	Debra Graham
Kim Delaney	...	Maggie McConnell
Marilyn Norry	...	NASA Wife
Freda Perry	...	NASA Wife
Lynda Boyd	...	NASA Wife
Patricia Harras	...	NASA Wife
Robert Bailey Jr.	...	Bobby Graham

Storyline

When a mysterious storm kills all but one crew member of the first manned mission to mars, a rescue mission is launched. Once on the red planet, the crew finds the sole survivor of the first mission who informs them that this was no ordinary storm. It was meant to protect something. But what?

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Plot Keywords:

mars | sandstorm | face on mars | husband wife relationship | rescue operation | 

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Taglines:

For centuries, we've searched for the origin of life on Earth...We've been looking on the wrong planet.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for sci-fi violence and mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Cinopsis [be] (French)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 March 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

M2M

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£767,484 (UK) (14 April 2000)

Gross:

$60,874,615 (USA) (14 July 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Spyglass Entertainment, Jacobson Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX SDDS DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After Mars Recovery is given the OK to enter orbit around Mars, Woody Blake says "Let's light this candle". This is exactly what Alan Shepard, the first American in space, said just before lift-off on his inaugural Mercury flight.

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Goofs

When the crew have exited the ship after it exploding and Woody is flying towards the REMO, Phil looks at his wrist-mounted computer which tells him that Woody is going to overshoot the REMO. However, below the graphic on the right side of the screen, the caption contains a spelling error, reading: "Traget projection and outcome" instead of "Target.... etc."

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Quotes

Woody Blake: Okay, people let's look sharp now. We're gonna run this simulation one more time. If we overshoot, there's no coming back.
Phil Ohlmyer: Yeah, and drifting through eternity will ruin your whole day.

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Crazy Credits

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's cooperation and assistance does not reflect an endorsement of the contents of the film or the treatment of the characters depicted therein.

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Connections

References Flash Gordon (1936)

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Soundtracks

"Dance The Night Away"
Written by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth
Performed by Van Halen
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A Visual Masterpiece

So many critics blasted Brian De Palma's "Mission To Mars", that I feel I must have seen an entirely different film. Perhaps people were expecting "Armageddon", or any other number of "space" films. This is a film about people, not space. People who are great friends on earth, who must face challenges to their friendships and their humanity, while in space and on Mars. They could just as easily have been in Kansas. Brian De Palma (the greatest living visual director), takes us on a glorious journey, with his camera. The sets and special effects never overshadow the actors, who blend in seamlessly, to create a visual treat for the eyes. This is a tender and moving film about people and their relationships. It's a beautiful film, told in a very slow, deliberate manner. It pays homage to many other films, but it is its own entity; unlike any other "space" movie you have ever seen. The film features wonderful performances from its cast, an effective score by Ennio Morricone, and peerless direction from Brian De Palma. The nature of its stunning visuals demand that this film be seen in widescreen, ONLY. Highly recommended!