- Actors: Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore, Benjamin Bratt, Simon Baker
- Directors: Antony Hoffman
- Writers: Chuck Pfarrer, Jonathan Lemkin
- Producers: Andrew Mason, Bruce Berman, Charles J.D. Schlissel, Chuck Pfarrer, Jorge Saralegui
- Format: PAL
- Language English
- Subtitles: Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.77:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 12
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- DVD Release Date: 28 May 2001
- Run Time: 106 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00005A3O8
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 5,177 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
In Red Planet the only thing thicker than the Martian atmosphere (which is breathable, by the way) is the layer of clichés that nearly smothers a formulaic beat-the-clock plot. Science fiction fans are sure to be forgiving, however, because the film is reasonably intelligent, boasts a few dazzling sequences, and presents fascinating technology in the year 2057.
We don't know how the Mars-1 spaceship gets to Mars in only six months (newfangled propulsion, no doubt), but we do get some cool diagnostic read-outs on tinfoil scrolls, an abundance of well-designed hardware, and a service-robot-turned-villain that's a high-tech hybrid of RoboCop, Bruce Lee, and a slinky panther with plenty of lethal attitude. The oxygen in the Martian atmosphere has resulted from nascent efforts at terraforming, made necessary by Earth's over-polluted condition. Mars-1 has been dispatched to determine why the terraforming is failing, and upon arrival everything goes inevitably haywire. Nearly two hours, three deaths, and multiple crises later (including the discovery of a Martian life form), "space janitor" Val Kilmer and his ultra-competent commander (Carrie-Anne Moss from The Matrix) have collaborated to set things right, capped off by second dose of the wretched narration that bookends the movie. Hoary material, to be sure, and as a veteran of TV commercials making his feature debut, director Anthony Hoffman is clearly more comfortable with flashy visuals than depth of character. Still, he keeps things humming right along. A perfectly suitable companion to another Y2K sci-fi thriller, Pitch Black, Red Planet is a fine way to kill a couple of hours. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Video Description
DVD Special Features:
Deleted Scenes
Interactive menus
Scene Access
Languages: English, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Spanish, German, English for the hearing impaired.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A number of previous reviewers were disappointed by Red Planet. I wasn't. Of course, for die-hard SF fans (which I am not), fond of faster-than-light travel, intergalactic laser battles, indestructible monsters etc. the movie looks a bit pedestrian.
Red Planet is more of an adventure flick than your typical SF blockbuster. I found the plot quite believable, the technology fairly realistic (including "smart" extra-vehicular suits and a lander inspired by both the Apollo Lunar Module and the more recent unmanned probes) and the acting performances very decent. Val Kilmer's acting is quite subdued (you may at first wonder if he really is the main character), and the whole cast fill their roles well. Special effects are excellent yet unobtrusive (the zero-G fire and the "landing" scenes are quite impressive), while the depiction of the Martian surface is visually stunning and very close to reality. That, in fact, may be why SF fans generally didn't like the movie: it must have been too... believable. Apart from some gadgets, most of the technology displayed in Red Planet is already with us (or just around the corner), so it doesn't look like the 32nd Century or so. Yes, the storyline might be predictable at times, but it is still a good B-series flick, with no great pretence to be anything else. I'd call it a B+ series movie, and a good way to spend 100 minutes.
Red Planet is more of an adventure flick than your typical SF blockbuster. I found the plot quite believable, the technology fairly realistic (including "smart" extra-vehicular suits and a lander inspired by both the Apollo Lunar Module and the more recent unmanned probes) and the acting performances very decent. Val Kilmer's acting is quite subdued (you may at first wonder if he really is the main character), and the whole cast fill their roles well. Special effects are excellent yet unobtrusive (the zero-G fire and the "landing" scenes are quite impressive), while the depiction of the Martian surface is visually stunning and very close to reality. That, in fact, may be why SF fans generally didn't like the movie: it must have been too... believable. Apart from some gadgets, most of the technology displayed in Red Planet is already with us (or just around the corner), so it doesn't look like the 32nd Century or so. Yes, the storyline might be predictable at times, but it is still a good B-series flick, with no great pretence to be anything else. I'd call it a B+ series movie, and a good way to spend 100 minutes.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Like De Palmas dreadful "Mission to Mars", "Red Planet" has all the ingredients of a Sci-Fi epic but fails to deliver. Unlike "Mission to Mars" which attempted to go for excessive plausibility in supporting its missing presumed dead storyline "Red Planet" swings the opposite way with weak characterisation, trite dialog and some poor performances.
Val Kilmer is not miscast, however, his cartoon-like character should not have been involved in such a mission. Carry-Anne Moss as Bowman, the commander of the mission, demonstrated no command strengths except perhaps yelling and seemed to be little more than eye candy with her tendency to take her clothes off - hardly a strong female lead and certainly not much of a role model. Other characters played by Benjamin Bratt, Tom Sizemore, Simon Baker and Terence Stamp were bland and interchangeable.
The idea was sound I suppose, the idea of terraforming using algae to convert the atmosphere to a more earthlike mix, the concept of earth becoming too crowded and polluted etc etc. A little hackneyed yes, but it was the most interesting part of the movie. A combination survey/combat robot? Well of course it was going to go nuts and start moulinexing its way through the crew - cliched and overused in so many other films.
Overall it came out as a weak movie that appeared to set high standards for itself and then failed to reach them. I give this movie three stars for its setting as Mars did look pretty good, and for the use of the algae idea.
I was looking for a serious plausible movie and didn't find it, but had I been looking for a semi-serious sci-fi road movie I might have enjoyed it. If all you want is a simple space movie with a little action and excitement then perhaps you'll get more out of this than I did.
Val Kilmer is not miscast, however, his cartoon-like character should not have been involved in such a mission. Carry-Anne Moss as Bowman, the commander of the mission, demonstrated no command strengths except perhaps yelling and seemed to be little more than eye candy with her tendency to take her clothes off - hardly a strong female lead and certainly not much of a role model. Other characters played by Benjamin Bratt, Tom Sizemore, Simon Baker and Terence Stamp were bland and interchangeable.
The idea was sound I suppose, the idea of terraforming using algae to convert the atmosphere to a more earthlike mix, the concept of earth becoming too crowded and polluted etc etc. A little hackneyed yes, but it was the most interesting part of the movie. A combination survey/combat robot? Well of course it was going to go nuts and start moulinexing its way through the crew - cliched and overused in so many other films.
Overall it came out as a weak movie that appeared to set high standards for itself and then failed to reach them. I give this movie three stars for its setting as Mars did look pretty good, and for the use of the algae idea.
I was looking for a serious plausible movie and didn't find it, but had I been looking for a semi-serious sci-fi road movie I might have enjoyed it. If all you want is a simple space movie with a little action and excitement then perhaps you'll get more out of this than I did.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you are looking for some exotic space creature like Sigourney Weaver, or even Jane Fonda. Then this is not the movie for you. The closest it comes to this is the obligatory shower scene. If you are looking for big ugly killer creatures or space pirates, again this movie is not for you.
What this movie does contain are the popular actors of this time. One popular actor included but overlooked in a lot of reviews is Benjamin Bratt ...Ted Santen, who shows up again in "Miss Congeniality" (2000)where he seems to have gotten a much higher rating.
What this movie does contain are the popular actors of this time. One popular actor included but overlooked in a lot of reviews is Benjamin Bratt ...Ted Santen, who shows up again in "Miss Congeniality" (2000)where he seems to have gotten a much higher rating.
The movie is formula with the standard mix of personalities. The Mission is like all the others. There is a compelling need to go to Mars. Naturally disaster strikes. Some sacrifice some good guys, maybe some bad guys, a few anticipated suppress, and AMEE knows the way to a man's hart.
The DVD has some outtakes that you may find enhances the film and then again the scenes may have been taken out for good reason. There is no running commentary. I am not going to transliterate the story. If you watch it for fun then you should not be disappointed.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
CLASSIC SCI-FI.
I have always been a devotee of good science fiction, and we in Britain know a thing or two about the subject, well we had the iconic Dan Dare while people in the USA still thought... Read more
Published 21 days ago by DOGBERRY
one of the best action-scifi films of all time
There are two sorts of sci-fi, "pure" sci-fi which is precise and panders to the high IQers,,, and then there is "dumbed-down" action sci-fi which "panders" to the masses. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JrF
Disappointing overall
On the face of it there is alot to like with this film (on DVD). It has a decent cast, the DVD picture transfer is top-notch and the soundtrack is rather enjoyable too (yes i have... Read more
Published 9 months ago by D. Burchett
This film has all the elements of excellent scifi
As a fan of hard scifi, I must say that this film meets the standard admirably. Not only is there an interesting plot - discovering what has happened to the attempt to terraform... Read more
Published 9 months ago by rob crawford
More Credible than Most - but dated
Produced in 2000 during the credit boom, when the heroes were investment bankers and hedge fund managers, the prospect of a dying world was probably intended to be prophetic. Read more
Published 12 months ago by SuperNerdTheSequel
Tolerable, except for the roaches
SPOILER WARNING!!!
"They didn't find life on Mars. It found them". That's the dramatic advertising slogan for "Red Planet", featuring Val Kilmer and Carrie Anne Moss... Read more
"They didn't find life on Mars. It found them". That's the dramatic advertising slogan for "Red Planet", featuring Val Kilmer and Carrie Anne Moss... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ashtar Command
Watchable but underwhelming
This movie's characters have been traveling together for half a year. You'd expect we should know them quite well. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Bakuryuu Tyranno
Fun trashy action sci-fi with great moments
This is pure adventure sci-fi, not designed to be taken seriously by anyone except perhaps its writers. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Benminx
Pretty good
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Published 19 months ago by Glyn
Red Planet
A good sci-fi movie. great casting and a good plot. well worth watching. vfm.
Published 23 months ago by Mr
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