I don’t know if I can watch this – it’s supposed to be a science fiction movie, but it ‘reads’ like a stage play. The English is a bit formal.
Other than that, this was filmed in 2001/2002. They believe that NASA is still around, and a Mars mission would be headed by the United States. I won’t get too into the stuff they’ve glossed over science-wise (instant communication over one million kilometers but still several years to travel).
But this looks like a stage play, too. Tight shots, very carefully dressed, sanitized space ship sets. They’re running out of supplies but they managed to stash the chemicals to keep one of the scientists in hair bleach.
They made a lander with no sleeping couches? Strange. The space blankets look like … well, camping/space blankets sewn to quilted moving blankets.
Some of the doors look familiar. Airplane doors? A stripped plane body would be an awesome backdrop in which to film a “closed room” set piece. But it’s kitted out with standard current space stuff, but the helmets are movie helmets, that is, unpolarized and with convenient flip tops. Can’t tell where they filmed the “Mars” shots, but it reminded me of the sharp lava fields in the Galapagos Islands and other volcanic Earth terrain.
Hrm – some side comments in there that seem to be an allusion to the attack on the World Trade Center towers in New York in 2001.
Well, at least they have fire extinguishers. Looks like the one in my office. 🙂 ABC, I hope.
Ok, one good line in there about an hour and five minutes in. Not suitable for younger audiences, but worth skipping ahead to about the one hour mark to catch it.
Spoilers below …. (Continued)