Brian De Palma in command of Mission Control -- and it is not a happy sight to see this alumnus of the New Hollywood circa 1969-75, this ape of Welles and Hitchcock, this former pet of Pauline Kael, hurl himself headlong into the maelstrom of special effects. The image of one of his spacemen torn to bits in a colossal Martian sand spout has symbolic implications beyond the immediate impression of "Oh, yuck!" The ensuing rescue mission in search of possible survivors of the disaster is part-2001 mysticism and part-Close Encounters Pollyannism, and both parts bombast. The cardboard characters and the confusing crises along the way do not prevent De Palma (or musical composer Ennio Morricone) from trying to climb to operatic emotional heights. Trying, yes. Only trying. With Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Connie Nielsen, and Jerry O'Connell. (2000) — Duncan Shepherd
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