Review of Mission to Mars (2000) by Jeff B — 10 Aug 2012

There's some very good actors in this film doing their damndest to make the impossible possible, the ridiculous real. And they were doing well until Woody brakes free. Bring out the corn! And keep it coming. With Sinise, Cheadle, Robbins you wouldn't expect the substandard. And you don't get it, for most of the film. But once the rescue mission to Luke goes awry, the material and setting is just too much of a challenge. When you're in outer space, in the void, the uber-quite of space. it's a difficult backdrop for top drama--Terri pining for Woody as he drifts away to never be seen again. Rather large and deep fail. And it's always a challenge to pull off the technical jargon and pseudo-intellectualism needed for sci-fi, the words dripping with non-convincing insincerity here--mostly from Terri, played by Connie Nielsen.

It is a hand full of hokey, but the ultimate question is why? What is the thrust of this movie? It may appear to be man and his nature to explore, to push the boundaries, the challenge of loss and heartbreak therein (two crew members lose their spouses). But at its conclusion there is then the question of origin, why are we here? where are we going? where have we come from? and is there anybody else out there? possibly someone or something that knows, a superior being with greater intellect and experience that can talk us down from our scary, insecure perch. Not a God, but perhaps a big brother or sister. And then we do discover at the film's conclusion that it wasn't God who created us but other beings. This is much more comforting, something that is more relate-able than a high-in-the-heavens, never will see him, her, or it god.

At the movie's conclusion, we are comforted by the fact that we are babies given life millions of years ago and our older brothers and sisters are here. Here to comfort and protect, to even take us home, for we have known this to be our purpose from the start. To go home, to be of ease, comforted, to find purpose, not chaos, doubt, confusion, and the fear we have to live with on this chilly orb called earth.

So what do we learn? We learn that I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together. Goo Goo g'joob, good brothers and sisters, Goo Goo g'joob, indeed.