Summary
For as long as science fiction has existed, there have been stories about the red planet known asMars, and the film landscape has been no different. From movie serials of the 1930s right up until modern times, sci-fi lovers have been fascinated by the narrative potential of Mars as filmmakers have depicted alien stories of exploration and discovery. While there have been many films about Martians invading Earth, there have also been just as many movies that explored the planet of Mars itself.
Likethe best sci-fi movies, films about Mars offer commentary not just on the endless potential of the universe but also on humans' perception of its vast, unknowable nature. As the most comparable planet to Earth in terms of its potential for life and colonialization, it’s no surprise that Mars has been continually depicted in sci-fi movies since the birth of cinema itself. While some movies about Mars have been the subject of harsh criticism and initially received a negative reception, looking back,there were many underappreciated and highly intelligent sci-fi movies about Mars.
John Carter
Cast
Adapted from Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, Disney’s John Carter brings the author’s Barsoom series to life. When American Confederate Civil War captain John Carter accidentally transports himself to Mars, he soon becomes entangled in the planet’s own internal power struggles. Using the increased strength and speed afforded to him by Mars' atmosphere, Carter fights to achieve peace on the distant planet known by the natives as Barsoom.
As one of the most expensive movies ever made and amongthe biggest box office flops of all time, the conversation around Disney’sJohn Carterhas consistently revolved around its financial failure. In what has been dubbed “one of the worst marketing campaigns in movie history“ (viaEl Pais), viewers did not turn out to witness what had been planned as the first in a new franchise. The miserable failure ofJohn Carterwas a lesson to Hollywood about the need to promote movies in a way that compels audiences to show up at theaters.
John Carterwas a fun story about a Civil War soldier who was transported to Mars, where he became entangled in a long-standing war between different factions of the planet. Released just a few years afterAvatar, John Carter’spromotion made it seem like a lackluster rip-off rather than a visually impressive adaptation of the acclaimedBarsoomseries of novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. With source material boasting a rich Martian mythology,John Cartercould have been a lot better than it was, but it did not deserve such to be such a catastrophic failure.
9Mission To Mars (2000)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Although director Brian De Palma boasts a filmography filled with classic releases likeScarface,The Untouchables, andMission: Impossible, others, such asMission to Mars,were not as acclaimed. With a story revolving around the first manned mission to Mars, things go awry when they must conduct a rescue mission for their colleague. With a mixed reception,Mission to Marsdivided critics upon release, as some felt De Palma missed the mark, while others praised its impressive visuals.
However, looking back onMission to Mars,almost a quarter of a century since its release, the bad reviews felt overly harsh as this was an engaging film with entertaining action sequences. While aspects ofMission to Mars' visual style may have felt derivative of2001: A Space Odyssey, that was one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made. In truth, behind all the criticisms ofMission to Mars,there was an intelligent sci-fi film that’s well worth checking out for those with an interesting Martian-based cinema.
8The Last Days On Mars (2013)
Directed by Ruairí Robinson
In the same vein as Ridley Scott’s 1979 classicAlien,The Last Days on Marsdepicted a group of astronauts succumbing one by one to a mysterious force while collecting specimens on Mars. As a mix between sci-fi adventure and B-movie horror, Irish director Ruairí Robinson also paid homage to alien movies of the 1950s with the advantage of modern-day special effects. As a relatively swift old-school space story,The Last Days on Marswas categorized by an intense sense of paranoia and claustrophobia.
With impressive visuals and strong cinematography,The Last Days on Marslooked fantastic, although contemporary reviews criticized it for being too derivative of other works. While the film didn’t break down any boundaries regarding storytelling, the slow and unnerving building of tension as the crew became increasingly stir-crazy was thoroughly enjoyable. AlthoughThe Last Days on Marsdidn’t quite live up to its potential as a tense horror set in space, there’s plenty to enjoy here.
7Red Planet (2000)
Directed by Antony Hoffman
The feature film-making career of Antony Hoffman began and ended with the commercial failure ofRed Planet. As a box office bomb that recouped just over $33 million of its $88 million budget,Red Planetfailed to register with audiences at the time who did not connect with this interesting and realistic sci-fi filmabout astronauts searching for a solution to a dying Earth on Mars. WhileRed Planetwas known for ashocking behind-the-scenes movie fightbetween co-stars Tom Sizemore and Val Kilmer, there was so much more to this highly underrated film.
Most critics slatedRed Planetupon its release. However, the acclaimed reviewerRoger Ebertrecognized the film’s merits and highlighted its impressive “emphasis on situation and character.” Ebert highlighted howRed Planetbrought to mind sci-fi movies of the 1950s in the way that scientists were forced to think themselves out of complex problems. AlthoughRed Planet’sbad reputation may put viewers off, those willing to give it a chance will find a human sci-fi story of real depth awaits them.
6Flash Gordon’s Trip To Mars (1938)
Directed by Ford Beebe, Robert F. Hill, & Frederick Stephani
Flash Gordonwas one of the most popular sci-fi pulp heroes of the 1930s, and his epic 15-chapter movie adventure was among the best movie serials of that era. The full film has a total runtime of a whopping 299 minutes as Flash Gordon traveled to Mars to battle Ming the Merciless and his new ally, Queen Azura. As the second of three long-form movie serials released by Universal between 1936 and 1940,Trip to Marshad a focused plotline that was developed over the course of its multiple installments.
Flash Gordon’s Trip to Marswill be a real treat for those with nostalgia for an earlier era of sci-fi filmmaking, as each approximately 20-minute chapter ended on a cliffhanger that encouraged cinema-goers to return to the theater time and time again.Flash Gordonwas a great piece of 1930s escapism that had an important influence on the genre in the subsequent decades. With plenty of pulpy fun to be enjoyed,Trip to Marsranked amongthe bestFlash Gordonreleases.
5The Angry Red Planet (1959)
Directed by Ib Melchior
The Angry Red Planetwas a highly ambitious piece of 1950s sci-fi filmmaking that was produced on a budget of $200,000 in just nine days (viaTCM.) The use of “CineMagic,” a technique that combined live-action footage with hand-drawn animation, gave this fascinating film a unique aesthetic. From the appearance of miles-high Martian buildings to the depiction of tentacled man devouring plants,The Angry Red Planetwas packed with B-movie sci-fi spectacle.
As a film packed with suspense and intrigue,The Angry Red Planetpushed modern moviemaking to its absolute limit as it used unique techniques to depict sci-fi creatures in a way technology was not yet capable of using traditional means. With oversized creatures and Mars colorized in a sinister tinge of red,The Angry Red Planetcan, at times, feel like a fever dream in its sheer outrageousness. As a highly underrated film exploring the strange and unusual potential of life on Mars,The Angry Red Planetwas a perfect example of campy 1950s B-movie fun.
Aniara
Aniara is a Swedish sci-fi drama directed by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, based on the poem by Harry Martinson. The film follows the journey of a spaceship carrying settlers to Mars, which veers off course and plunges into existential despair. As the passengers and crew confront the void of space, they grapple with loss, isolation, and humanity’s deeper existential questions. The film stars Emelie Jonsson and Bianca Cruzeiro.
After climate change has ravaged the Earth, humanity must find a new home on Mars, as shown in the Swedish-Danish filmAniara. However, when passengers on a mass migration spaceship were knocked off course, they were forced to reckon with their place in the universe in this insightful and thought-provoking sci-fi drama. With a grand and ambitious feeling,Aniarawas a deeply philosophical film that embraced the existential nature of humanity carving out a new existence away from Earth.
Aniarawas based on a 1956 Swedish epic poem by Harry Martinson, which was a masterpiece of esoteric science-fiction literature. This impressive adaptation explored the transitory nature of human existence, which was confounded by the endless expansion of space and time, with humans only being miniscule in comparison.Aniaramay not connect with viewers looking for action-packed sci-fi adventures, but with philosophical-minded viewers interested in life’s big questions, it will be a cinematic treat to behold.
3Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964)
Directed by Byron Haskin
Robinson Crusoe on Marsadapted the iconic 1719 novel by Daniel Defoe about a man stranded on a desert island and gave an enjoyable sci-fi twist. With Paul Mantee as Commander Kit Draper, this retelling of a classic tale was released in the midst of the Cold War space race as plans to get mankind to the Moon were starting to take shape. However, despite this film’s contemporary relevance, impressive special effects, and imaginative designs,Robinson Crusoeon Mars did not do well at the box office.
However, the reputation of this sci-fi story has only grown in the years since, as modern viewers appreciate the story of Mantee stranded on Mars with nothing but a monkey companion. Filming took place mostly at Death Valley National Parks in California (viaNational Parks Service), which realistically captured the essence of the isolated red planet. A highly ambitious film, in many ways,Robinson Crusoe on Marswas ahead of its timeas its plot had much in common with Ridley Scott’s 2015 filmThe Martian.
Total Recall
Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”, Total Recall tells the story of Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a construction worker who receives an implanted memory of an adventure in humanity’s colony on Mars. Quaid finds his memories playing out in real time, hunted by agents of a mysterious organization as he works to topple the tyrannical regime of a Martian dictator (Ronny Cox).
The sci-fi action classicTotal Recallhad truly unbelievable special effects for 1990 as it told an outrageous story of implanted memories, shadowy organization, and a hidden Martian secret. With Arnold Schwarzenegger as Douglas Quaid, a man on a fantastical adventure on Mars, the unreliable nature of its narrative has viewers debating to this day how much ofTotal Recallwas real and what was a dream. The unique premise ofTotal Recallmade for a thrillingly ambitious adventure that played with audience expectations.
Total Recallalso boasted a rich narrative that addressed themes of authoritarianism and colonialism, making it one of Schwarzenegger’s best movies. Like the best movies set on alien planets,Total Recallhas a lot more to say about humans' lived experiences and the very nature of existence. While the success ofTotal Recallsadly led to a lackluster remake in 2012, this has not tarnished the legacy of this visually spectacular story based on a short story by Philip K. Dick.
The Martian
Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives.
Of all the many movies about Mars that have been released over the past number of decades, Ridley Scott’sThe Martianstood out. With impressive direction from Ridley Scott, a compelling lead performance from Matt Damon, and an engaging script by Drew Goddard based on Andy Weir’s original novel,The Martiangained widespread acclaim and was one of the best movies of 2015. With equal parts comedy and drama,The Martianfelt both tense and lightheartedas it told the story of an astronaut botanist surviving alone on Mars.
The Martianwas simultaneously smart and thrilling and told a moving story of survival whose infectious soundtrack kept things lighthearted with the inclusion of music by the likes of Donna Summer and David Bowie. As a thrilling return to form for director Ridley Scott,The Martianranked as one ofScott’s best moviesin recent times as he proved himself once again a master of the sci-fi genre. With impressive scientific accuracy about how one could truly survive onMars,The Martianmust be commended as the greatest sci-fi film about the red, mostly inhospitable, planet.
