Watch Passage To Mars
- NR
- 2016
- 1 hr 34 min
-
4.5 (780)
Passage To Mars is a riveting documentary-style feature film that follows the ambitious and heroic crew of explorers who travel to planet Mars in search of answers about the origins of life, while simultaneously enduring unimaginable adversity, isolation and danger. The film is narrated by Zachary Quinto and features real footage captured during a five-year journey to the Red Planet.
The film is directed by Jean-Christophe Jeauffre and produced by Jeauffre's company, JCK Films. Narrated by Zachary Quinto, the documentary recounts an epic journey to the barren and hostile landscape of Mars, where six brave astronauts led by expedition commander and visionary Dr. Pascal Lee endeavour to make history by being the first humans to explore the red planet.
The journey begins in the remote wilderness of Devon Island, located in the Arctic circle, where the crew undergo a nine-month long training period in order to prepare for the gruelling and dangerous trip to Mars. Devon Island is described as one of the harshest environments on earth due to its freezing temperatures, unforgiving winds, and rugged terrain, which makes it the closest analogue for the Martian landscape.
The crew, comprising engineers, scientists, and explorers from around the world, share their experiences and describe the training and preparation required for such a journey. Pascal Lee, the director of the Mars Institute, is driven by a singular determination to explore Mars and make it a habitable location for humanity. He is joined by Charlotte Rampling, who provides the voice for the recording of a Russian cosmonaut who was unable to complete his mission to Mars, adding a hauntingly poignant element to the movie.
As the documentary unfolds, the team faces a number of challenges which are typical of interplanetary journeys, such as the risks of low gravity, the potential for radiation exposure, and the likelihood of technical challenges with equipment. There is no room for error, and the crew must be well trained, flexible, and able to respond to any crisis as a team.
Passage To Mars is not just an awe-inspiring documentary about human exploration, but also a deeply moving story of human endurance, perseverance, and strength of spirit. The film captures the essence of what it means to be an explorer, and how the quest for knowledge can lead us to find answers to deep questions about the universe and ourselves.
At times, the documentary seems more like a Hollywood blockbuster than a factual account, as it takes us on a journey through some of the most spectacular scenes of space exploration ever captured on film. Many of the scenes are perfectly choreographed, with beautiful music and stunning shots of the Martian landscape, giving it a very cinematic feel. Itâs an epic journey, presented in a way that is never dull or dry, making it appealing to both science buffs and casual viewers alike.
The film also introduces us to the crew in a personal way that you donât typically experience in documentaries. We see them struggle with isolation and loneliness, missing their families and friends back home, and dealing with the challenges of living in a confined space for months on end. Despite all of these challenges, the crew remain committed to their mission, and their passion for science and discovery never wavers.
Some may argue that Passage To Mars could have done with more scientific explanation and less emphasis on the personal narratives of the crew. There could have been more detail about the scientific experiments being carried out, which would have added a layer of depth to the documentary. Despite this, few documentaries have ever achieved this level of awe and wonder, taking the viewer on an exciting journey of discovery, while still being grounded in the hard science of space exploration.
Overall, Passage To Mars is an exciting and immersive documentary that sparks the imagination and inspires us all to think big whilst underscoring just how close our nearest planetary neighbor actually is. In an increasingly complex world, it is cinema such as this that offers us the possibility of escape and the chance to explore new horizons firsthand.
Passage To Mars is a 2016 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.5 and a MetaScore of 43.