The Movie Guys: ‘Mission to Mars’ tackles sci-fi, reality

Friday, March 10, 2000 | 9:09 a.m.

The Movie Guys, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun. They can alsobe seen on the 11 a.m. Friday newscast on KVVU Channel 5. Plus, check them out online at lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/ movies and themovieguys.com.

Grades: Jeff D, Dave B.

Starring: Gary Sinise, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O'Connell, Kim Delaney, Tim Robbins.

Screenplay: Jim Thomas, John Thomas, Graham Yost.

Director: Brian De Palma.

Rated: PG for science-fiction violence and adult language.

Running time: 115 minutes.

Playing at: Rancho Santa Fe, Century Orleans, Century Cinedome 12 Henderson, UA Showcase 8, UA Green Valley Cinemas, UA Rainbow Promenade 10, Regal Cinemas Boulder Station, Regal Cinemas Colonnade 14, Regal Cinemas Texas Station 18, Regal Cinemas Village Square 18.

Synopsis: When the first manned mission to Mars meets with an unfortunate and mysterious disaster, a rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back any survivors. During the heroic crew's journey to Earth's neighboring red planet, they confront nearly insurmountable dangers and make the amazing discovery behind the speculative history of Mars.

Dave: On July 4, 1997, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) received the first images from Mars after Pathfinder had successfully landed. I vividly remember how much I anticipated seeing those images and wondering what answers they could possibly provide to our numerous questions. So along with the rest of the world, my fascination with the enigmatic red planet and the hopes for success by the Mars Polar Lander, the second mission to Mars, were tremendously high.

But months after the scheduled Dec. 3 landing had resulted in failure, speculation continues to haunt NASA concerning the craft's misfortune.

So until the scientists straighten things out, we'll have to rely on Hollywood to pacify our curiosity via the genre of science fiction. And who better than veteran director Brian De Palma to take us on a "Mission to Mars" that has stars Gary Sinise and Tim Robbins piloting the rescue team out to the distant planet after a catastrophe strikes the first mission unit?

Jeff: "M2M" is a big-budget, stunning, wonderfully staged epic. But underneath, it embraces a weak story as thin as the air in the Mars atmosphere.

The film drags on continually due to the tech talk of the astronauts and the tedious plot lines of each character, all of whom are suffering some sort of personal conflict. Imagine recruiting a team for a mission to Mars with the cast of "The Big Chill" and you'll get the idea. The wonder of traveling to the red planet seems secondary and neglected. The film refuses to stay focused on the missions and the complexity of space travel, and instead becomes a space soap opera, eating up time with each of the crew's over-dramatic problems. Sure, let's keep putting the mission on hold while we get in touch with our feelings. Hard-core science fiction is called for, and what we get is "Oprah."

Filmmakers of the 1950s did it better with their visions of space travel, relying on fantasy and determination. I wanted infinite wonder, and all I got was a lesson in self-help.

Dave: If you're looking for retro sci-fi, Jeff, may I suggest you browse through your personal collection and watch "This Island Earth" for the umpteenth time! Now then, looking at De Palma's long list of credits, it is surprising that he has never tackled a science fiction film before. With his distinctive visual style, he has an ability to capture an audience by making them hold their collective breath during the most intense scenes -- a masterful accomplishment. As in "Mission: Impossible," when Tom Cruise is silently hanging by a wire looking to retrieve the valued data in a blinding white room, or in "The Untouchables," when Kevin Costner and company save a baby carriage bouncing down a flight of stairs while facing off with their unsuspecting foes, "M2M" has tension in several instances.

While attempting to plug a pin-sized hole in the outer shell that threatens to breach the ship, Robbins daringly takes to "extra-vehicular activity" (or as NASA has coined it, "spacewalking") to find the damage while the crew restores power and oxygen from inside. And when they must literally jump ship, they are free-floating toward the Mars atmosphere hoping to board an orbiting satellite. Few directors can make time stand still while the action never stops like De Palma.

Jeff: Too bad De Palma can't keep the camera still, Dave. I felt nauseous during most of the mission. As for the dramatic tension, I didn't feel any, and certainly not with the standard Hollywood dilemmas that screenwriters Jim and John Thomas ("Predator") came up with for "M2M."

Meteor showers damage the ship? Not enough oxygen to get back? Sounds more like that old attraction they used to have in Tommorrowland at Disneyland. Disney did better with 1997's "Rocket Man." That was a great mission. The cinematic cliches combined with lengthy character exposition make "M2M" a dull trip. That is a shame, because the film has a look that is truly spectacular. The sets, costumes and visual effects are unforgettable, but all is diminished quickly. Plus, the music provided by Ennio Morricone is so out of place, sounding more like his score from "The Untouchables" than a space epic.

The film does have a surprise ending. After all, Mars is suspected to have sustained life at one time. The question is, can we find proof? The answer is more than I could stomach.

Dave: In order not to divulge any of the film's final secrets, I can simply say that the profound discovery has prolific results. Unfortunately, the answers that we are given seemed more along the lines of Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek" than any climactic finish that I had hoped for or, much less, "stomach," as Jeff has put it.

However, "M2M" is definitely imaginative enough to repair damaged faith in NASA after its recent Mars mission disappointment. It is a stellar film with an equally stellar cast that is branded with the nearly extinct PG rating, so the whole family can truly enjoy it.