Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
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.
Mission to Mars is a visually ambitious De Palma science fiction film that leans heavily on its stunning cinematography and set pieces — the spacewalk sequence in particular is genuinely exceptional, blending technical precision with emotional weight. However, the plot is thin and derivative, borrowing heavily from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Contact without matching their depth, and the dialogue is often clunky. The acting is competent but hampered by underwritten characters. The ending, which attempts a transcendent Close Encounters-style alien reveal, feels rushed and narratively unsatisfying. Novelty sits in the middle — it's not purely formulaic, as De Palma's visual style gives it a distinct feel, but its story beats are well-trodden.