Thursday List – FRC’s Top Films Set On Mars
To honor the release of the surprising John Carter this weekend, Scott looks at his favourite films set on Mars
OK, I am sure you know by now that I actually thought John Carter was good. I will not bore you with the details of that again. If you haven’t seen my review, feel free to check it out HERE
As the majority of John Carter is set on MARS or Barsoom as they call it in the film, I wanted to list my Top Films Set on Mars…
8 – Ghosts of Mars
200 years in the future a Martian police unit is dispatched to transport a dangerous prisoner from a mining outpost back to justice. But when the team arrives they find the town deserted and some of the inhabitants possessed by the former inhabitants of the planet.
7 – Mars Needs Mums
A young boy named Milo gains a deeper appreciation for his mom after Martians come to Earth to take her away.
6 – Mission To Mars
The year is 2020 and NASA has made another giant leap for mankind by successfully landing a team of astronauts on Mars. However, shortly after their arrival on Mars, Mission Commander (Don Cheadle) and his colleagues encounter a bizarre and catastrophic disaster. A rescue mission is launched to investigate the tragedy and bring back the survivors. Co-piloted by Commander Woody Blake (Tim Robbins) and Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), four courageous astronauts set out on a heroic six-month journey through space where they face insurmountable dangers.
5 – Doom
Something has gone wrong at a remote scientific research station on Mars. All research has ceased. Communication has failed. And the messages that do get through are less than comforting. It’s a level 5 quarantine, and the only souls allowed in or out are the Rapid Response Tactical Squad, a squadron armed to the teeth with unprecedented firepower to carry on their mission: nothing gets out alive.
4 – Red Planet
t’s 2050, Earth is dying, and colonising Mars is the only alternative to obliteration. Bowman and her crew have made this journey to investigate what went wrong with the malfunctioning Mars Terraforming project, and to repair it. But what happens when they get there is far more terrifying than anyone could have guessed: a crash-landing leaves them without scientific, communication or escape equipment; and causes their military mapping and exploration robot to malfunction into an enemy.
3 – Mr Nobody
Mr. Nobody takes place in 2092 at a time when Mars has become a vacation planet and all humans have been made immortal thanks to scientific advancement. The story follows a 120 year old man named Nemo Nobody who is not only the oldest man alive, but also the last mortal human being. Nobody is preoccupied by the question of whether or not he has lived the right life.
2 – John Carter
The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.
1 – Total Recall
In a futuristic world, construction worker Doug Quaid obsesses about taking a vacation on the planet Mars. His wife objects, so Doug instead opts to have an artificial memory of a Martian holiday implanted into his mind. The trouble is, during the implantation procedure, Quaid suffers a strange reaction. Why? It seems as though he has already been to Mars, but his memories of his journey have been wiped…
About The Author – Scott Lawlor
Chief Editor of FRC. A self confessed geek with an unhealthy thirst for all things Home Cinema. Whether it is the latest Action film or Subwoofer.
What are your favourite films based on Mars? What about other planets? Comment below
Scott Lawlor
I was worried for a second you wasn’t going to mention Total Recall,good job Scott
hehe I wouldn’t let you down Dave, would I?
Great list although I can see something missing…. Capricorn One! Even though it wasn’t ‘real’.
HAHA Very True Luke, thanks for the comment
thanks for the glimpse of my Karl Urban, Scottie and for putting JOHN CARTER in the second place
Nice list, it’s surprising how there are not really many great films that have been set on Mars considering it is our nearest neighbour. We need more films based on mars!
It was a tough one to put together if I am honest!! LOL
Hi, Scott and company:
Excellent list!
Mars does seem to have kind of slim pickings when it comes to film.
One of my favorites is from 1964. ‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars’. Directed by Byron Haskin. With Paul Mantee and a cameo from Adam West.
Though not based on Mars. 1958′s ‘It! The Terror from Beyond Space’ is still the earlier and sometimes better forerunner of Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’.
Very surprised to see ‘John Carter’ in second place. May have to check it out sooner than I’d expected.
Thanks Jack, I was hoping you would have some other suggestions and you didn’t fail to impress!!
I would hold off on John Carter, I feel like I am in the minority who liked it
A great list although I have to agree with Jack Deth in that Robinson Crusoe on Mars is another great one.
It does seem that having Mars as the setting can lead to some poor films as not many in the list were that good
Indeed. We need a Good MARS revival… Maybe the new Total Recall will do it!
I have my hopes up for the ‘Total Recall’ remake (namely that they’ll following more of Philip K. Dick’s original story).
Great list! I love the addition of Mr. Nobody – not many people saw this one and it’s definetly worth watching.
You are very welcome. I had to include it as Jared is one of my wife’s boyfriends ahahahah
Great list. Mission to Mars is always one of those films that’s on ITV 1-4 a stupid amount of times!
HAHAH You are SOOOOO right Jaina!
Nice list and glad to see Mr.Nobody and Total Recall in there. I completely disagree though about Mars Needs Moms, which I thought was a horrible and creepy movie.
Thanks Matey!! TBH I was clutching at straws when it came to filling out the list, which is why Mars Needs Moms is one there!! HAHAHA
Bravo for picking ‘Ghost of Mars’ (an under appreciated John Carpenter film) and ‘Red Planet’ (another underrated sci-fi flick, plus it has Carrie-Anne Moss — woohoo!). I’m also with JD re: ‘Robinson Crusoe on Mars’ (hey, it even got the Criterion Collection treatment!). Fun post, Scott.
Thanks Michael! I am glad you liked the list!
God I hated Ghosts of Mars. Couldn’t get through it. What the hell was Carpenter thinking? Does seem like Mars films kinda suck a bit. Looking forward to John Carter though after your review. And Mr Nobody sounds kinda interesting. Never got round to Red Planet but I think I’d like to give it a go. Must have been a tough list to make… I’m not sure I’d have been able to name 5 Mars movies, let alone 5 good ones! Nice one Scott!
HAHA I was struggling , I wanted to do 10 but I was stuck at 8
Thanks Pete
Is that Karl Urban in DOOM? I’d probably rent it just to see him, ahah.
It is indeed Ruth… Enjoy it if you dare!!
Just a warning Ruth, Doom is pretty bad in my opinion, I wish I hadn’t waste two of hours of my life watching that film.
but Doom is so bad. I hated this movie…haha
It seems like Mars isn’t very conducive to cinematic success (at least from a box office standpoint). John Carter is on track to become one of the biggest box office bomb of all time (at least in North America) and with last year’s Mars Needs Mom and most of the films on this list, I would definitely avoid any association with the planet if I was a movie producer ahah
HAHA It does seem like it is going to bomb huh? Ah well I am standing by the fact that I liked it! LOL
It’s a fun list Scott. I havent seen much Mars movies, glad to see one I remember the most in number one.
aha…John Carter has mixed review so far, will judge it for myself once it’s released here
Thanks Novia, JC is getting a mixed bag huh? I think people are still in Award Season mode and are finding ti hard to change into brainless blockbuster mode!! ahahaha
The only films I have yet to see on your list are John Carter, Mars Needs Mom and Mr. Nobody. I love Total Recall, not sure about the remake; I enjoyed Red Planet much more than Mission to Mars. Ghost of Mars was bad in a good way, hard to explain, I just enjoyed it. Doom was a big pile of you know what, I wish I could have two hours of my life back.
Ouch. This list makes me think films about Mars are doomed to fail. Total Recall is spot on, now that is a great film about Mars.
Okay, I haven’t seen Mars Needs Mums but the title pretty much tells me all I need to know. Ghosts of Mars, Mission to Mars, Red Planet and Doom and four of my least favourite films of the last twenty years!
I have seen 6 of those flicks (missing John Carter and Mr. Nobody) and I can tell you that the only one I would truly recommend is the one that ends up at first place on your list, but it may be all due to Arnold who I had a weak spot for when growing up.
Most of the others, for me at least, are average films, nothing too special. In fact, I barely remember the details of some of them.
Interesting post. Good read.
Sooo, what you’re saying is that nothing of merit or interest happens on Mars…save for Ah-nuld saving the planet right?:P
Actually, I thought Mission to Mars had promise and a pretty ambitious ending even if it took long to get there. Good post!
Is it sad that the only one of these I have seen is Doom? I should probably watch Total Recall at some point…