Mission to Mars

Mission to Mars is a 2000 American science fiction adventure film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Jim Thomas, John Thomas, and Graham Yost, and suggested by Disney's theme park attraction of the same name. The film depicts the first crewed Mars exploration mission going awry; American astronaut Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise) helps to coordinate a rescue mission for a colleague. Principal support actors were Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, Jerry O'Connell, and Kim Delaney. Plot In 2020, the Mars I mission launches for planet Mars, commanded by Luke Graham. Upon arrival, the team discovers a bright white formation in the Cydonia region, which they suspect is an extrusion from a subsurface geothermal column of water, useful to future human colonization. After reporting this to the Earth-orbiting World Space Station, they go to investigate the formation and start hearing a low sound on their communications system. Radar initially reports that the formation is metal, but when they increase power to the radar, a large vortex appears and kills everyone except Luke. After the vortex subsides, the formation is revealed to be part of a large humanoid face. The event creates an electromagnetic pulse the space station observes, after which it receives a distress message from Luke. Realizing Luke could not have left because the pulse would have damaged the computer system of the Earth Return Vehicle (ERV) they repurpose the Mars II mission into a rescue. Months later, as Mars Rescue, consisting of Commander Woody Blake, his wife Terri Fisher, recent widower Jim McConnell, and technician Phil Ohlmyer, nears Mars orbit, they discover that all satellite imagery of the formation area is covered with static. Micrometeoroids breach the ship, causing damage to the external fuel lines and resulting in the engines exploding. With the destroyed Mars II out of control, the crew is forced to abandon ship and travel in their spacesuits to the Resupply Module in a nearby orbit over Mars. Woody launches himself at the module and manages to attach a tether to it, but loses his grip and begins descending into the Martian atmosphere. Terri attempts to rescue Woody, but knowing she would run out of fuel before reaching him, Woody removes his helmet, killing himself to save her.