Brian De Palmais one of the most important filmmakers that emerged from the “New Hollywood” era, as his style of intense, paranoid genre films combined the veracity ofAlfred Hitchcockclassics with more extreme content allowed by the loosening of MPAA restrictions. De Palma is also a filmmaker who is admirable in his work ethic, as his massive filmography proves that he has always been keen to take on new opportunities that took him outside of his comfort zone. That being said, even the most devoted fan of classics likeBlow OutandScarfacemay have been surprised that De Palma had been hired to direct a PG-rated adventure film based on a theme park attraction from Walt Disney World. Unfortunately,De Palma’s first space operawas a massive box office bombthat received less tahn positive reviews upon its debut.
While it was released during an era inwhich science fiction was more popular than ever,Mission to Marsdidn’t feature the type of death-defying action that had turnedStar WarsandThe Matrixinto such financial juggernauts. Instead, it told a meticulous, haunting story about the rescue of human life, and how that mission developed into a larger odyssey into the secrets of the universe. Given that the film was perhaps too psychological for the family audience it was marketed to, it’s not entirely surprising thatMission to Marsfailed to satisfy viewers’ expectations at the time of its release. However,time has been kind to the ambition ofMission to Mars, which deserves a reconsideration from those that had dismissed it as a misfire within De Palma’s canon.
What Is ‘Mission to Mars’ About?
Set in the year 2020,Mission to Marsfollows the first human expedition to the Martian surface, which is led by Commander Luke Graham (Don Cheadle). Although it is discovered that there may be an area of water that could theoretically help to form the first human civilization on another planet, a dramatic natural accident occurs, which claims the life of every member of the mission other than Graham. Word of the occurrence eventually reaches the crew of theMars Rescuevessel, which is occupied by Commander Woody Blake (Tim Robbins), his wife Terri Fisher (Connie Nielsen), the veteran astronaut Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), and the technical wizard Phil Ohlmyer (Jerry O’Connell). After the hull of their ship is breached by debris, which forces them to begin navigating towards Mars, McConnell takes command of the mission in order to locate Graham and determine what caused his team to disappear. What begins as a simple rescue operation becomesa surrealist, thought-provoking studyin the different forms of life that exist within the broader universe.
Although De Palma is a filmmaker known for creating suspense and intrigue,Mission to Marsis a very thoughtful character dramathat shows the way that each member of the team reacts to the potentially hazardous mission. Most moving was the performance by Sinise, as McConnell isstill coping with the loss of his wife, Maggie (Kim Delaney), who he regrets was not able to join them on the expedition. Cheadle also gives a phenomenal performance, as it is interesting to see how Graham’s attitude changes after he is trapped alone on an alien planet without any hopes of survival. Even if it was based on a theme park ride,Mission to Marsis a very adult film that deals with serious topics about marriage, depression, existentialism, and sacrifice. Nonetheless,De Palma also understood the necessity of an old-fashioned space adventure,as O’Connell’s performance as Phil adds an appropriate amount of comedic relief.
Mission to Marswas a thoughtful combination of the practical and the speculative, as the film merges realistic depictions of space travel with fascinating, original ideas about what life would look like on another planet. In many ways, it predated both the grounded survival mission that madeThe Martiansuch a crowd-pleaser and the affection philosophy that endearedInterstellaras a future classic. The pacing may have been much slower than what some would have expected from the director ofBody DoubleandDressed to Kill, but De Palma certainly did not deny the film the opportunity toinclude some shocking body horror. The death of a main character in the midst of open space is easily among the most disturbing moments in any PG-rated film.
This Underrated Brian De Palma Movie on Max Brilliantly Combined Horror and Superpowers
Once again, De Palma was ahead of the curve.
Mission to Marsdidn’t fall into cliche when it came to depicting Martians, as it suggested that it would be unreasonable for aliens from a completely different culture and environment to have an understanding of the universe that mirrored our own. Although the film asks some pretty big questions during its ambitious final act, the adventure that it took to get there is filled with the type ofimaginative, big-budget spectaclethat is rarely seen in studio films these days. Even if some of the visual effects may be dated and aspects of the science may now seem retrograde,there’s a spirit of optimism and curiosity withinMission to Marsthat makes it a hidden gem,and certainly an exciting experiment from a filmmaker as established as De Palma.
Mission to Mars
