Passage to Mars

A Mars-Arctic road movie that blows your imagination. A miracle for a science documentary. Usually those bore me a bit. i clicked with this one right away. I was almost sure I would leave the room (my friend downloaded this on iTunes). Watched the first 5 minutes, then 10, 20... Couldn't let it go. Something hypnotic about it.

Trying to think what it was... The story? OK, even though it's a classic dangerous trek in the wilderness, this one is very different. The goals and series of incidents... The landscapes, Arctic and Martian are definitely what grabs you (the sound of it, the silence as well) - the crew: these guys a super low key but that what makes it worthy: they leave room for you to get on board and journey with them!!

the music, for sure, but at the end I think it's the narration and the way these diaries catch your emotion and though process. It's not only about hard adventure, it's about our place in the universe. that is what definitely got me on board.

If you expect the discovery or Nat Geo type of format, this one will confuse you. It's a million light years away in spirit.

It's a tale turned to mystery and beauty, celebrating exploration. More poetic than scientific, the film explores more why we want to go to Mars than how (which has been explained over and over again in many other docs.)

The excitement here comes from the mind-blowing beauty of two worlds, and a tiny crew of humans trying to make a bridge between.

You will learn more about what makes us go out there than what's out there. Despite the lack of the usual human drama we expect to get in these real-life adventure docs, we feel close enough to the crew and confined with them to feel immersed and part of the crew.

What is most striking is the back and forth Arctic/Mars, a journey within the journey. I understand why this film is so praised by space community. As for me, the ethereal feel made it all. Fascinating.

Very disappointing documentary of a crew going through the North passage in the Arctic to Devon island (where they set up a Mars camp) to recreate a Mars style expedition. What almost put me to sleep was Zachary Quinto (the new Spock). His voice is extremly monotonous, he's no Leonard Nimoy that's for sure. He narrates on behalf of the crew or leader of the expedition. We see no interviews with any of the crew which I think was a missed opportunity. No interviews with Nasa people or Mars specialists. They went for a celebrity as a narrator. Also I found the narration and the music/songs used to be overdramatic and at times laughable (do humvees dream of diesel sheep? ... ugh). I think this would have worked better as a 50 minute documentary on National Geographic instead of 90 minutes of boredom. Skip it, there are better documentaries about Mars out there. This adds nothing new. But do watch if you can't sleep. You'll doze off in no time.

Loved the elements in this film, the snow, the ice, the wind, the glittering stars passing by when we travel through space, the Mars sand dunes, the storms, the red dust... The sounds, or the quietness of it all, in space or on the ice. A film calling for our senses. including fear.

Very spectacular and magnetic. It won't please everybody, cause this doc. breaks many rules and might confuse the routine of some viewers. It's nothing like the classic, formatted TV doc. It's a "movie movie" of its own, arty and outside the box.

I loved it. Very sensible and inspirational. Some science, not much, just enough for me. Enough to understand I actually knew very little about Mars (there's is not only water there, but snow, four seasons, and a day last 24 hour like here, a dust storm can cover the entire planet... But above all, there might be life there, and that's what we are looking for).

but the science is not what stays with you for days after. You just don't watch the sky in the same manner. You feel very small. But you feel puzzled to be surrounded by so much life, when there is so little of it all around Earth. Very sensible and inspiring movie.

If you're a space buff - as I am - this is for you! This doc is out of this world. Super loaded with hidden references and wrapped with pure beauty. Not sure NASA realized what the filmmakers did - I guess it was approved - but the film breaks out from the formatted genre and takes it to a new level: complex and emotional narration, dimensional layers, both in storytelling and visually (the back and forth between Earth and Mars are stunning and so smartly executed).

The director definitely pushed the envelop. To a point that it's hard to call it a documentary. It's a movie, tracking with an impossible true-life road trip - and it's the first movie of this kind I see.

Watched it twice to make up my mind. First I was just got caught up, blending in the Arctic and other crazy shots (spectacular). Then got deeper into the reflection. Powerful. This film stays with you like a great wine.