Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Melanie Bouvet The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Mark N This show shouldn't be compared to a typical Sci Fi drama. It's reason for being is to inspire and drive thought in a dramatic way. The drama may even be second to this. I will admit though I did have many tears though while watching this show.

selwynandrews-80958 The documentary sections are OK, the special effects are competent, but the dramatic parts are unsatisfying and faintly hilarious. Thrill to stodgy dialogue delivered in monotones, in a tale of the greatest adventure mankind has ever undertaken! Wonder why, if electrical power is so precious in the hostile Martian environment, does nobody turn off some of those darned lights and monitors! (Come on, this isn't rocket science). The video diary device is overused as a way to flesh out character, and is really no substitute for decent scriptwriting and acting. The astronauts don't seem very astronauty, more like annoying co-workers you try to avoid around the water cooler. And the way they conduct themselves in the course of their mission...well, just watch any Shuttle-related YouTube video for clues as to how real astronauts behave (writers, producers and directors of this show, I'm talking to YOU!). But what I really want to know (I don't think this counts as a spoiler) is how did the commander maintain her stylish short haircut, and the doctor her nifty bob, during their stay on Mars? Was there a mission stylist we never met?

Steve Swayne I enjoyed Mars, mainly because I like space exploration and the tech involved. The mixing of documentary footage, interviews of real people and then hopping forward in time to the fictional mission worked quite well. What I didn't like were the implausible series of disasters besetting the crew.During the Apollo era every activity to be undertaken either in the spacecraft or on the surface in EVA suits was meticulously planned and rehearsed hundreds of times. How likely would it be for a situation to arise on Mars where they would bungle sorting out their power supply, and have that happen right when the worst dust storm in history occurs... Like they would not have seen the weather system developing in time to bring forward the power cable work, or have extra people out there for such a mission critical EVA?And the lack of dual airlocks in the plant laboratory for dramatic license when the plant guy goes bananas... Not to mention that no one noticed he was that far over the edge until too late.A real shame they did not focus on the science on Mars and the real issues, rather than trying to make it into a TV movie.

JRmf Part dramatic miniseries, part historical documentary, this is not for everyone. As a confirmed science nut I found it enlightening but flawed. It will be good for humanity to settle Mars, but it may just come down to money, as usual, rather than just as a backup against extinction or to push the bounds of human experience, as the documentary parts emphasized. The series placed a good deal of emphasis on the political background and backing to the mission, and often seemed on shaky ground with its backers.The comparison with Antarctic research bases, which exist for pure science, is well made, however. Mars might ultimately be a base from which the asteroid belt could be mined. Unless humanity has a change of heart and becomes truly altruistic a la Star Trek :) CGI does not a good miniseries make but clearly the budget was a bit thin. I would have loved to see from the ground, Daedalus or one of the other ships land on Mars (from the ground, looking up), rather than just views of rocket exhaust (presuming it was even possible - see following). To see Olympus Town dome from the inside and the outside, looking up, would have been a great sight, but all one saw was tiny distant, model-like views.While they had drones, could they not have had some sort of flying vehicles? Zubrin's Mars Direct showed how fuel could be made from simple raw materials (for powering flying vehicles, for example), but there was no mention of this in the series. All power was from solar panels or nuclear fission.Some technical flaws: * Why do the EVA suits not have a large backpack (rather than the tiny "bump") supplying oxygen and environmental control? The reason seems clearly to be it would not look very cool if they did.* Daedalus weighs about 40 tons, might not it have been safer to leave it in orbit and use a series of shuttles to transfer to the ground? Not to mention if landing a rocket that size rear-vertically would be even feasible. I know the ship was supposed to be their home for two years while they located a suitable lava tube, but maybe other arrangements for radiation protection could have been made.* When Richardson opens the "airlock" door and evacuates and destroys a large part of the base, why does the door open directly to the outside? Why is it not a true airlock with two doors straddling a small room which can be pressure equilibrated with whichever way someone is going, and where at least one door is always be locked?* Mars atmosphere is thin, about the same as Earth's at 35 km, so drones would need very large blades or rotate extremely fast in order to fly, but the drones in the series seems like terrestrial onesAt times, the pace dragged and things became somewhat introspective, I felt. The point about billion dollar missions hanging on people's psychological stability is well made however. The crises which arose at regular intervals to pique viewer interest seemed somewhat predictable and contrived. Of course the 215 m cable lowering the explorer into the lava tube almost bottoms out with just a few meters to spare. When Robert is seeking the cable to repair it, the rover can't advance because of the (what looks like flat) terrain, so he must unclip his tether and potentially get lost in the dust storm. I have already commented at length on the "airlock".Anyway for all that it is certainly worth seeing and one I will be adding to my collection. 7/10.