Mars (2010) Review

Director: Geoff Marslett
Stars: Mark Duplass, Zoe Dean
Genre: Science Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Animation

Mars, directed by Geoff Marslett (perhaps a Martian himself with that last name?), is a film that's not so much science fiction as it is romantic comedy.

The plot involves Charlie Brownsville (yes, you read that right), Hank Morrison, and Casey Cook. They are the crew that are travelling to Mars in hopes of being the first people to set foot on the red planet. They face boredom, life and death situations, and a bit of romance as well.

The film utilizes rotoscope animation clearly inspired by Richard Linklater's Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. The animation may not be as sharp or well-done as Linklater's films but it suffices and serves its purpose and even manages to look quite nice at times.

Mars is also quite funny. It helps that the characters are pretty likable also. Spending time with them in a long trip through space you get to know them as you should. They're not terribly complex characters but they're relatable and funny.

I wouldn't so much recommend this to science fiction fans, but more so to fans of quirky comedies. Or to fans of Waking Life's style. It's an enjoyable, charming and sweet film, heartwarming I'd even say. I'm glad I gave it a watch. It's a good movie, mumblecore in space it's been called.