The Last Days on Mars: A Bit Disappointing

I don’t typically try to nitpick too much but when two instances just scream out, “What???” I can’t help but mention them in “The Last Days on Mars” (2013). Elias Koteas is the commander of the team of scientists/astronauts on Mars, looking for life on the planet. When we are introduced to them, there have been no incidents to speak of. It is obvious that there is “dueling” between a cold and blunt Kim (Olivia Williams) and convincingly likable Marko (Goran Kostić) over the search for life. Kim dismisses others when it comes to listening to them, and when the film arrives to her, Vincent Campbell (Live Schreiber) and Rebecca (Romola Garai) are in a rover waiting for her to set up some equipment. They were supposed to be back at base at a certain time, but Kim doesn’t care and finishes up what she’s doing regardless of the time constraints set on her. 

Meanwhile Marko discovers possible life, conceals this from the others, and requests from Brunel (Koteas) to go out to fix a malfunction. Brunel doesn’t offer too much fuss about it, and allowing him to doesn’t exactly please Kim when she returns. Driving a rover with Marko in tow, Harrington (Tom Cullen) parks it near where the sign of life is located. So Marko goes out to retrieve a capsule with the bacteria inside, a convenient earthquake underneath him causes a fall, and the Martian “infection” turns him into a zombie. Yep, Zombies on Mars. 

The first situation that bewildered me was how Kim vocally accuses (in her matter-of-fact, clinical bitchiness) Harrington upon his return of being somehow responsible for Marko’s supposed death. Like he should be held accountable for an earthquake or Marko’s fall into a crater-sized hole that resulted. He had to tell the commander and get advice on the next steps. So Harrington (and rightfully so) is enraged at Kim for calling him out in front of everyone as the reason Marko was dead. What does Brunel do when Harrington actually threatens to attack Kim after her comments send him into a rage? When gathering up the crew to go after Marko, Brunel leaves behind Harrington (because of his previous harrowing experience) and Kim! Ummm…is that wise? 

Prior to informing Home command back on Earth about the Marko situation, Brunel and Lauren Dalby (Yusra Warsama) went to see about Marko’s current condition. The crater with steam rising out of it seemingly indicating water inside appears quite formidable, with Brunel assured that Marko’s suit was certain to have suffered damage. Dalby was obviously intimately involved with Marko, seriously emotionally distraught and wanting to go down into the pit immediately. So Brunel decides…to leave her at the location while he returns to the base to call Home command on the next steps! Oh, he tells her not to try anything, including going into the pit, but after she had nearly just started climbing into that hole after Marko, Brunel allows her to stay!

These are just two instances that plague a director’s vision of a crew on Mars suffering from a lack of credible evidence regarding life, finally hitting paydirt, and when an accident causes some of this life to get on an astronaut, it causes terrifying consequences. The film doesn’t really build to the horror as much as rush us into it quickly.

Here are the scientists. They are rather disappointed, tired, wearied, and sorely lacking in humor. The tone of those on the planet is rather beleaguered, irritable, and sore. You can tell this mission has been anything but eventful or exciting. Kim, among the scientists, has certainly contributed to the exhaustion and distress obvious in the faces and demeanors of all, including Brunel. Koteas is as good as anyone at portraying a person beaten and pummeled by infighting and can show us haggard especially well. And he just looks worn out. This mission has obviously been a chore instead of something worthwhile and noteworthy. Schreiber looks similarly to Koteas. He is unable to hide his frustrations and bury his lingering disappointment. As far as Olivia Williams goes, she is stuck with a colorless, spiteful, emotionally barren, toxic character with little to no chance for us to embrace her at all. She seems to exist in the film for us to despise. That she would be left to die is kind of like the way Charlize Theron goes out in Prometheus.