Revisiting the Mars Films of 2000: 'Red Planet' and 'Mission to Mars'

In the year 2000, two science fiction films, 'Red Planet' and 'Mission to Mars,' embarked on cinematic journeys to the red planet, offering distinct yet often parallel visions of humanity's future beyond Earth. As these movies now mark their 25th anniversaries, it is timely to revisit their narratives, thematic underpinnings, and their place within the broader landscape of space-themed cinema. Both productions, despite their shared setting and release year, tackled the concept of Martian exploration and potential colonization with varying degrees of optimism and realism, reflecting an era when the idea of settling on Mars, though distant, felt within the realm of possibility rather than pure fantasy. Their reception, both critically and commercially, offers insights into the audience's evolving expectations for space adventures, particularly concerning a planet as familiar yet mysterious as Mars.

The central premise for 'Red Planet' is set in 2025, portraying a future where Earth's environmental degradation necessitates the colonization of Mars. This film presents a subtly hopeful outlook on human resilience and scientific endeavor, contrasting with the more dire circumstances often imagined for such a future. Its contemporary, 'Mission to Mars,' also released in 2000, opted for a slightly less urgent backdrop in its 2020 setting, though both films ultimately confront their characters with formidable challenges on the Martian surface. These two films collectively achieved modest financial success, without the added star power or budget of other space-themed blockbusters of the time. Their narratives, however, inadvertently highlighted the difficulties inherent in making Mars a compelling and profitable subject for moviemakers in the decades that followed, leading to a period where Martian-set films struggled to capture widespread appeal.

Historically, Mars has long captivated the human imagination as a potential frontier for exploration. The 2000 films draw heavily from the speculative fiction of the 1950s, a period rich with tales of Mars missions gone awry and encounters with alien life or ancient civilizations. 'Mission to Mars' and 'Red Planet' both initially lean into a somewhat anachronistic sci-fi aesthetic. For instance, 'Mission to Mars' features an opening barbecue scene populated by clichéd dialogue, while 'Red Planet' commences with Commander Kate Bowman's (Carrie-Anne Moss) notably robotic narration. These stylistic choices, though perhaps jarring at first, inadvertently pay homage to the genre's earlier, less polished iterations.

Once past its initial voiceover, 'Red Planet' delves into a series of well-executed logistical challenges typical of space survival dramas. After their main vessel sustains damage, Commander Bowman must remain in orbit, while her crew, including characters portrayed by Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Benjamin Bratt, Simon Baker, and Terence Stamp, attempts a perilous descent to Mars. Their mission is to investigate the failure of a terraforming project initiated by atmosphere-producing algae. Upon landing, the crew faces further complications: a destroyed Martian base, initial communication failures with the orbiting ship, and a rapidly closing window of opportunity as the main vessel threatens to fall out of orbit within 31 hours. These compounding predicaments create a compelling survival scenario against the unforgiving Martian environment.

Despite superficial similarities, the two Mars films of 2000 diverge significantly in their narrative focus. 'Mission to Mars' also depicts a catastrophic accident incapacitating a Martian-orbiting spacecraft, forcing its crew into a desperate scramble for survival. Director Brian De Palma's masterful camera work vividly captures the chaos as astronauts abandon their compromised ship amidst a meteorite storm, utilizing a smaller module for a perilous descent. While De Palma's visual flair surpasses 'Red Planet,' 'Mission to Mars' ultimately veers into speculative territory concerning the origins of life, culminating in a somewhat anticlimactic reveal. The feasibility of such profound cosmic revelations, juxtaposed with Mars's visible presence from Earth and our extensive scientific knowledge of it, places the planet in a peculiar position. It retains an otherworldly allure while simultaneously feeling too familiar for overtly fantastical, universe-altering secrets to resonate as convincingly as more distant, unknown cosmic settings.

'Red Planet' distinguishes itself as the more grounded of the two films, despite its own fantastical elements. Its retro appeal, characterized by a blend of space-thriller realism akin to 'Apollo 13' and the more imaginative alien technologies found in 'Star Wars,' might have resonated more strongly with dedicated science fiction enthusiasts than with broader audiences. General viewers, especially those familiar with Carrie-Anne Moss from 'The Matrix,' might have anticipated a more overtly 'cool' and action-oriented narrative. However, the film's initial restraint in its fantastical elements before its final act helps establish a more plausible, albeit still speculative, vision of space exploration.

As 'Red Planet' progresses into its more fantastical segments during the final half-hour, it struggles to maintain genuine suspense, largely because the expendability of most characters becomes too apparent. Yet, before this shift, the film functions as an engaging survival thriller. Val Kilmer and Carrie-Anne Moss deliver commendable performances, contributing to the movie's appeal. The production boasts a solid level of craftsmanship in its lighting, cinematography, and set design, typical of a major studio endeavor. Furthermore, it incorporates intriguing sci-fi elements such as a potentially malevolent robot and peculiar Martian life forms. Director Antony Hoffman effectively captures breathtaking Martian landscapes and maintains a brisk pace, lending the film an energy reminiscent of classic double-feature sci-fi adventures.

The financial underperformance of 'Red Planet' marked director Antony Hoffman's sole feature film, and attributing its box office failure solely to him seems unjust, particularly given the subsequent string of Mars-themed cinematic disappointments that followed. Films like John Carpenter's 'Ghosts of Mars' in 2001, though now a cult classic, was initially a critical and commercial flop. Disney's animated features 'Mars Needs Moms' and 'John Carter' collectively incurred massive losses, solidifying a perceived 'Mars curse' in Hollywood. This cinematic trend remained unbroken until Ridley Scott's 'The Martian' in 2015. Scott's success, however, largely stemmed from its focus on a realistic astronaut survival story, set on Mars but devoid of overtly fantastical elements, thereby serving as the exception that underscored the rule.

There is a unique charm in the old-fashioned yet relatively realistic pulp that 'Red Planet' offers, especially its unembellished depiction of a 2025 that is technologically advanced yet still fraught with unpredictable challenges. The film does not entirely strip Mars of its mystique, but it subtly suggests that colonization may not be the flawless escape plan many still envision today. It invites reflection on the complexities and inherent risks of interstellar expansion, grounding humanity's ambitious dreams in a tangible, if still speculative, reality.