ThiefHott Too much of everything

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

utgard14 Radio transmissions believed to be from Mars turn out to have quite different origins in this intriguing Cold War-era sci-fi film that seems to be polarizing today, if IMDb is anything to go by (and I wonder). Peter Graves does a good job but Herbert Berghof steals the show as a former Nazi now working for the Russians. Andrea King is pretty annoying as the hysterical wife of Graves' character. The rest of the cast is solid. I like this movie because it's interesting with a unique plot. It's talky, yes, but that's not inherently a bad thing. It's a thought-provoking movie with some historical interest, not just a special effects spectacle. Because it has political and religious elements, it will trigger Certain Types. If you are one of those, gird your loins before watching.

lemon_magic "Red Planet Mars" is one of those unusual SF movies that tries to get over almost solely on the strength of its ideas - in this case, the idea of the impact of the existence of life on other plants on our own culture. And in fact, for the first third of the movie, the movie manages to work on its own terms, for which I admire it. However, I have a hard time actually accepting or believing the turn of events after contact is actually established.10 seconds of thought will reveal the problem: Why would the messages over the cosmic radio lead to Western economic collapse? Just because Martians CLAIM they live 200+ years or have mastered "cosmic energy" doesn't mean that a) they aren't lying or b) members of Western society would believe these pronouncements, or c) the Martians are willing to reveal their secrets to us, or d) their technology would work for humans or on Earth. (The Martians have apparently not mastered interplanetary travel, since they never offer to come by and demonstrate.)Then when the Martians reveal that they are (essentially) Christians...that's a pretty clever and surprising direction to take the story. But the movie botches the opportunity There's a fine line between for solemnity/reverence and sanctimony/smarmy piety, and the film makers don't even seem to know that line exists. It wouldn't have been so bad if the music director had turned down the Mormon Tabernacle Choir stuff on the soundtrack, but they run that into the ground, too. This section of the movie goes on way too long and exhibits all the fine nuance of a religious revival. The last couple of scenes try to introduce a plot twist and actually raise the interest factor up quite a bit...but then the screenplay collapses back into the comfy ending you expected. I'll give the movie this - some of the performances are pretty good, given the material, especially the President of the U.S, the evil scientist, and the oldest boy in the scientists' family. Not without interest, worth seeing once if you're a fan of films from this era.

Theo Robertson Planet Earth has been receiving radio messages from its nearest neighbour Mars . Messages telling of a new type of technology means that fossil fuels will become redundant meaning that millions of jobs will be lost in the Western world . Are these messages genuine or is there another more Earthly power behind it ? After seeing INVASION USA I found myself watching yet another American propaganda film from the same year . I was attracted to the title thinking it might be an obvious film where the red planet decides to enslave the countries of Western democracy because that's what reds do . This isn't how things developed but any sort of rugs being pulled out from under you or irony of the red planet not being communist at all is hardly a recommendation . I can understand the thinking behind INVASION USA and the points its making within its own twisted reality but this isn't the case with RED PLANET MARS I don't know if I'm stupid or simply because I wasn't concentrating hard enough but I had difficulty paying attention to the plotting . It's not really a film that grabs your attention and is very static . I wasn't surprised in the slightest that this film was adapted from a stage play . One would have thought in that case it would be easy to follow since it's dialogue based but this isn't the case at all . Scientist Chris Cronyn receives messages from Mars and before he - and the audience - knows it religion is sweeping the world including the Soviet Union . The writers some entirely ignorant of religion and Marxism . Suppose we take on board the idea that our view of religion comes from a race from a higher civilisation . Ask yourself how does this explain life after death ? If a Martian lives 300 years then surely it'll die the same a human dies after 70 years . There will be no life after this one no matter what planet you're from . This is one of a number massive plot holes , and these plot holes even have the totally illogical nature of drawing attention to themselves such as the Soviet politburo asking themselves where are the Soviet population getting all their radios from ? Yeah I'd like to know too . I suppose this falls under the heading of plot connivance ? Perhaps the most irritating thing is the ending and the way it's developed . For large sections of the film you're being led along that the Soviets are behind these messages and it's all a communist plot , so much so that the counter revolution in the Eastern bloc is just a staged event and the British ambassador is being used as a stooge the same way plenty of useful idiots were taken on tours to the USSR in the 1920s and 30s . The communist double dealing is reinforced at the end when a former Nazi now working for the communists turns up at the Cronyn's lab at the end . This villain despite being a former Nazi and communist reveals himself to be a Satan worshipper . Let me get this right ? He's not a Neo-pagan like the Nazis and he's not a Marxist atheist like all communists but he worships Satan ! . Like I said the writers haven't thought any of this through especially where religion or Marxism is concerned . One massive plot hole that jumps out and grabs you is that the Cronyns' and the villain are killed in a lab explosion with no witnesses but the final scene sees the American referring to their sacrifice to the United Nations . Either this unnamed president has second sight or this film has a really poor screenplay . Guess what one I'm putting my money on ? If you thought NOAH was a genuinely bad film you obviously haven't seen this one

gavin6942 An American scientist is able to contact and communicate with Mars with shattering political, economic, and spiritual repercussions.I liked that they referenced Franz Calder, a Nazi scientist that apparently helped connect Mars and Earth. I do not know if Calder is real (I suspect not), but this seemed like a reference to von Braun, the Nazi scientist who invented the rocket. Indeed, we owe our space exploration to the Nazis in a round-about way.I am somewhat confused by the idea that if coal mines and oil wells are no longer useful that the next generation will not have jobs. I understand that the oil and coal companies would not want to lose their lucrative business, but I am unclear how this affects potential employees that have not even started yet. If all energy were free, there would still be other jobs -- the money not spent on energy would go to other, more leisurely pursuits.