The Greatest Mars Movie EVER? Perhaps! ‘The Last Days on Mars’ Review

Written by: Matt Molgaard

I’ve been waiting for a thought provoking film about Mars since I fell in love with Ray Bradbury’s fiction decades ago. Mars offers a multitude of possibilities. The potential for any genre piece positioned primarily on Mars is so wildly ungraspable. The problem is, most films totally screw it all up, turning Mars into either a ridiculously foolish concept to begin with, or a dull, drab film experience that fans can’t wait to forget.

Mission to Mars was fair at best, falling extremely short of expectations. Red Planet was perfect, if you suffer from insomnia. Total Recall is fun, but pretty dumbed down. Ghost of Mars is awesome, but I’ve been told countless times that that is little more than nostalgia and John Carpenter fanboyism creeping through.

But I’ve discovered something special: The Last Days on Mars – the first legitimately refined production that brings a clean, polished look, stellar performances, impressive effects and primal scares – a flick in which goes above and beyond the norm. Refusing to stumble into the pitfalls so others seem incapable of avoiding. Eager to offer fans something a bit new.

The truth is, the story is a bit like Alien meets The Last Man on Earth meets Night of the Living Dead. A scientific crew is on mars. They’re searching for life forms. Unfortunately for them, the find something, and that something is quick to transform crew members into mindless murdering monsters. As the picture barrels forward all one must truly contemplate is fate… Can anyone survive this appalling ordeal?

The cast is excellent, Liev Schreiber doing a superb job of juggling an assortment of emotions all the while maintaining grip on his wits, finds a way to guide a terrified crew to what they all hope to be safety. Elias Koteas is flawless as the optimistic Cap, but it’s Olivia Williams that totally and completely kills as the moody Kim. Talk about a top notch performer, this is it. In addition to the cast, the editing is excellent and Clive Dawson’s screenplay is riveting from moment one.

This is, in my honest opinion, the greatest Mars movie ever created. Highly, highly recommended!

Rating: 4.5/5