This movie perhaps is about a huge faileaure to an even bigger desire, that even approaching the unknow (DEATH), we want to enter it wishing that we acomplished it as our last breath on this planet.

I married a guy who is not the type to waste time contemplating movies so I may have found a place to play. At least I can find some justification for my binge watching habits.

Hey there Ryissa,
Looks like you’ve taken to the blog. Your voice looks highly familiar to me. But I’ll just continue smiling like a crash test dummy over here, not knowing anything differently.

Looks like we totally agree on this movie. It’s amazing how much crap I’ve gotten about this write up. People that are unwilling to think about this movie at all, and instead thrash at me instead. So, forgive me for not diving deeply into your response. But yes, your evidence, your points, all align with my larger story that this Mars thing didn’t actually even happen. Can’t have. Just makes zero sense. But alas… welcome (back?) to the blog Ryissa.

Taylor

I side with the camp voting he’s in a delirium due to dehydration in the desert.

I’m willing to let a lot of stuff that doesn’t work if you think about how real space programs do things and how space ships actually function. I’m willing to suspend disbelief on mad scientist getting to head into space after developing technology. Because simplifying things in that regard is an accepted Hollywood work around. But then the movie keeps piling on the implausible.

– skinny somehow gets to man mission control and be his base camp buddy.
– he self frequently corrects his monologue changing “this journey” to “this mission” sort of thing.
– the ship names Zephyr (west wind, bringer of spring/fruit), Boreas (winter wind, north wind). He even says the line “Fruit from Zephyr” when he docks and talks with space station crew. This is the stuff of daydreams of space, not actual space travel.
– the mission is named Romulus (hello founder of Rome) … really??
– his plan “bring it [Mars] to life” which is so Dr Frankenstein. One water reactor is going to awaken Mars. Cue lightning and thunder.
– His pride is keeping him from making rational decisions. Why the hell did he test it in the desert alone to start with? Because he wanted to create a legend for how he did the impossible. Instead of a systematic approach he goes for broke with untested technology.
– cut to, hurtling through space constantly fixing same technology once it breaks. For a moment in the desert he could pretend he’d be the hero of a fantastic space opera. But now his real failure is mirrored in a dream of a failing space mission with no chance of rescue.
– the storm imagery. Egad those are visions borne out of deep space Hubble pictures (I recall before we hit that there is something about Hubble being broadcast in background) when things seem plausible-ish. Pretty sure nothing like that between here and Mars or his off course comment is the understatement of the year.
– His speeches about solving desert dilemma. How many of us have slogged through some annoying task by pretending we’ve already done it and are being interviewed on TV? His speeches sound like the way you self talk your way through dilemma to keep yourself from giving up.
– And let’s be clear we never see him solve original desert dilemma The only time we see him walk out of desert triumphant is before both desert reactor and ship reactor keep failing catastrophically. After that he’s trapped in mirrored scenarios.
– He’s dehydrated severely for how long and he walks like a champ onto the surface of Mars head and beard looking freshly shaven and all aglow? Um, no.
– he talks about falling and not being able to get back up in desert. Wrapping himself in the sand or some such comment. He also mentions losing feeling in his arm and leg and feeling unworldly. He clearly was screwed and lay there contemplating his dreams.
– maybe he ultimately gets rescued by his worried friend. Maybe he perishes. Ultimately he’s a guy dying in the desert dreaming of accomplishments well beyond his limited grasp.

Because I’m perverse I stared till my eyes went dry. I didn’t find a rip in his suit. Something reflects off it for sure. Didn’t hear a prey bird in first or second round of wind effects during credits – only a faint whistle just before sound cuts. Glad I didn’t as that would be too obvious even for this film.