| Director | Brian De Palma |
|---|---|
| Genre | action film, adventure film, science fiction film, speculative fiction film, thriller film |
| Runtime | 114 min |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $100 million |
| Box office | $111 million |
In 2020, the Mars I mission travels to the planet Mars, commanded by Luke Graham. The team discovers a bright white formation in the Cydonia region, which they suspect is an extrusion from a subsurface geothermal column of water, useful to future human colonization. After reporting this to the Earth-orbiting World Space Station, they investigate the formation and start hearing a low sound on their communications system. Their radar reports the formation is metal, but when they increase its power, a vortex kills everyone except Luke and the formation is revealed to be part of a large humanoid face.
The space station observes an electromagnetic pulse and receives a distress message from Luke. Realizing the pulse damaged the computer system of the Earth Return Vehicle (ERV) they repurpose the Mars II mission into a rescue.
Mars Rescue, consisting of Commander Woody Blake, his wife Terri Fisher, recent widower Jim McConnell and technician Phil Ohlmyer, approaches Mars orbit months later to find all satellite imagery of the formation area covered with static. Micrometeoroids breach the ship, damage the fuel lines, and detonate the engines. The crew abandons their disabled Mars II ship and travel to the Resupply Module in orbit nearby. Woody loses his tether to the module and begins descending into the atmosphere. When Terri risks her own safety to attempt to rescue him, he removes his helmet, killing himself to save her.
The survivors arrive on the surface and find Luke living in a greenhouse. He shows them pictures of the face, and reveals the pulses represent a 3D model of human-like DNA missing a pair of chromosomes. Jim determines they must complete the sequence to pass a test. When they send a rover to broadcast the completed signal, an opening appears in the side of the structure. With a massive dust storm approaching Jim, Terri, and Luke head to the formation, while Phil stays to finish repairing the ERV. Phil is ordered to launch, with or without them, before the storm hits.
The three astronauts enter the opening, which seals behind them. A three-dimensional projection of the Solar System depicts Mars, covered with water, being struck by a large asteroid and rendered uninhabitable. A projection of a humanoid Martian lifeform reveals the native Martians evacuated the planet in spaceships, one of which was sent to seed Earth with DNA to create life that could one day land on Mars and be recognized as descendants. An invitation is offered for one of their group to follow the Martians to their new home. Jim accepts the invitation and is sealed inside a small capsule. Terri and Luke arrive back to the ERV just as Phil is about to take off. They barely escape the dust storm into space as Jim's capsule is launched from the crumbling formation and flies past them toward the Martians' home.