Mission To Mars
Date: March 18th, 2000
Cast:
Jim McConnell - Gary Sinise
Luke Graham - Don Cheadle
Phil Ohlmyer - Jerry O'Connell
Woody Blake - Tim Robbins
Ramier Beck - Armin Mueller-Stahl
Director: Brian DePalma
An Open Letter to Brian
DePalma, Jim
Thomas, John Thomas and Graham
Yost
C/o Touchstone Studios
5000 Buena Vista St.
Burbank, CA 91521
Dear Sirs,
I recently viewed your latest movie, Mission To Mars, and felt compelled to draft this correspondence to you regarding my thoughts on the film. The fingers of blame are too many to point; hence I’ve directed this at you all since you are the ones responsible for the flaws that I’ve found.
First of all, how could you waste the colossal talent with which you were given here? You have Oscar nominees, critical acclaimed writers and directors and up and coming stars on screen at your disposal. I’m sure that other directors would drool at such a dream cast. Why did you feel the need to give them the cheesiest, most obviously emotion-manipulating dialogue to say? Half of the time, I felt as if Sinise, Robbins, and Cheadle couldn’t believe what they were forced to say. Other times, I just felt sorry for them, and for Armin Mueller-Stahl, who does nothing but stand around, yell with an accent and be the token foreigner in the cast. This brings me to my next question. I know its politically correct to be diverse, but the casting of a token woman, and token black man, was way over the top. The female seemingly only exists as a love interest, and to cry and scream at the appropriate moments. It is the 21st century; women can have major roles, and even “carrie” films. I just felt that you could have, and should have, done more with what you were given here. A better story, better lines, and more focus would have definitely made for a more entertaining experience for me.
This leads me into my next, and most important point, the complete and total lack of originality. Here is the only original thing in the film. Hey, let’s go to Mars! End of original story, every other thing in the film is blatantly lifted from other movies. It is kind of easy to see what you were watching before you made this movie. I’m guessing, Armageddon, The Abyss, Close Encounters of The Third Kind, in reverse order of how each is mocked here. Maybe you even saw the end of Contact before concluding filming, and read one too many Project Blue Book reports when creating your alien visuals. It also must have been a junk food night for you. This is the only explanation I can deduce for M & Ms being solving the questions of the universe, and Dr. Pepper as the next great multi-use elixir.
I know I’ve spent the majority of this correspondence berating the movie, but I can give credit where it is due. As usual, you have done a wonderful (but mostly unoriginal) job of creating a nice looking movie. It’s okay, I suppose, that you borrow in that aspect, as long as it is inspired by, but not stolen from. Also, you have made a movie that is universally appealing to all ages. There are very few instances of swearing, sex or anything else offensive. Unfortunately, most kids will be running home to their Theology and Rocket Science 101 text books to figure what the heck was going on in the last half. I give one casting in kudo, for the use of Jerry O’Connell. He was the eye candy, the humor, and the only one who didn’t seem uncomfortable in his role. Had you given this kind of attention to the rest of the movie, there might have been hope.
This brings me to my conclusion kind sir. When I saw the previews, very well done by the way; my interest was piqued from the get go. I figured at best, I’d get an effects laden combo of Apollo 13/Armageddon with doses of 2001’s message. What I got instead was an emotional manipulative borefest that used effects as a sleight of hand to distract, while patchworking pieces together to keep us watching until the end. Since I’m being so critical, you may be saying “Oh yeah, well how would you have done better” Well, like this, shift the percentage of focus. Use the first 30-45 minutes to introduce us to the characters, and get the emotional bonding, yadda yadda yadda. Then spend another 30-45 on the journey, and landing, and then use the final 30-45 on explaining the message of the film. That was the purpose right, what was your tag line?
“For centuries, we’ve searched for the origin of the universe, we’ve been looking on the wrong planet”
That is indeed an eye-catcher, and an interest piquer. Why then, do you spend less than 5 minutes covering it!! It deserved more than that, and I felt cheated, like you gave up, and gave in to conventional wisdom and beliefs on the whole thing.
In conclusion, all I ask for in films gentleman, is entertainment. I want to be entertained, not insulted. If you’re going to make a fun emotional space-fest,
Galaxy Quest proved that. If you want to make a thought-provoking look at the connection between aliens and civilization, then commit to it. Mr. DePalmas, you can make good movies, Blow Out, Body Double and Carrie proved that. Visually, you’re amongst the great ones. Just screen the stories better, and focus on believability and originality more than pleasing everyone. Boiling it down simply; Utilize the potential, show me something original, and don’t play my emotions like a cheap ukelele. You’ve turned something that could’ve been marvelous, into something that is barely okay, tsk tsk, now just do better next time ($$ out of $$$$)
Sincerely,
The Reel Rambler
Agree? Disagree, Questions? Comments?
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