Simply told, Mission to Mars is an immediate popcorn classic. It's the kind of film that will be praised by audiences everywhere, notwithstanding critical acclaim, and re-released every so often so that each generation may enjoy it in its entirety on the big screen.
Intelligent life elsewhere isn't a novel concept. Neither is a space rescue mission nor a patriotic mid-film scene in which an American flag is placed on foreign lands. Mission to Mars has very little unique material. Combining these huge sci-fi concepts, some of the most enigmatic spectacular effects ever created, and Brian DePalma's ability to blend what previous filmmakers Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg brought with his magnificent thoughts make this film glorious.
First, kudos to the movie for not wasting any time in getting started. The familiar opening scene, in which the heroes tell their families emotional good-byes, is the only scene in the whole production on Earth. The following scene takes place on Mars, 13 months later. Within seconds of the four crew members touching down, a force unlike any other sweeps them off their feet and shreds their frail bodies into thousands of pieces. However, following the tumultuous incident, Luc Goddard (Don Cheadle) sends out an SOS signal, implying that he is still alive. A rescue operation will be launched shortly.
So, what exactly occurred on Mars? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but the guys at Disney gave the film the following tagline: "For decades, we've searched for the genesis of human existence on Earth... We've been searching the wrong planet."
There are many corny moments in the film that will make the too cynical laugh; they will laugh at the film rather than with it. Those times, however, are vital since this is a genuine epic. Without the corny romance, last-second rescues, or dramatic connect-the-dots endings, the film would be far less compelling and engaging. Maybe you'll see this movie and end up being one of its critics. Perhaps you and your pals will chuckle at the overly corny times. That's OK. But I defy you to tell me the following day that you weren't perplexed as you laid in bed that night or that this movie hasn't changed your perspective on space.