Red Planet
WARNER BROS. has released the sci/fi adventure, "RED PLANET" on dvd.  This is the 2nd of two "trip to Mars" films racing against each other to be released last year.  Both, also, have similar themes.  Teams embark on a mission to Mars in order to solve a mystery and save Earth from its own destruction.  This reviewer was actually looking forward to "Red Planet" more than "MISSION TO MARS".  Heck, even the poster looked a thousand times better.  In truth, both have huge flaws, and are ultimately disappointing.
But, "RED PLANET", for all of its clichés near the film's final minutes,
still manages to have some interesting surprises throughout most of the
film.  Some characters die off in sudden, unexpected ways.  There's also some insight of an existential nature, delivered in well-constructed
flashback scenes.  
I'll never quite get why Carrie Ann Moss is considered to be attractive, but it's her role as the team leader that's intended to be causing the only
sexual tension in the film. Expectedly, there's little tension! 
The cast is terrific.  Val Kilmer gives a restrained, but effective
performance, and Tom Sizemore is at his usual best.  Most surprising of all though, is Benjamin Bratt!  He's actually quite convincing in his role, and one really feels cheated as to how quickly his character is taken out of the film, although it does present one of the film's biggest though ultimately "disappointing" surprises.  Another big but "effective" surprise revolves around the death of Terrence Stamp.  We find out in a shocking way just how unnecessary his death is, and it actually makes for one of the film's more disturbing but most powerful moments!   The story to the film alternates between interesting science-fiction to stupid robot-"gone beserk" thriller.  While the robot's "point of view" scenes are visually arresting, this sub-plot is handled poorly, and actually weakens the film instead of enhancing it.  This is mostly due to the premise that because it's damaged during its landing on mars, its activity mode has been accidentally switched from research to "military" mode.  One guesses these space explorers just couldn't find the switch to change it back to normal ala the "evil Krusty" doll episode of the "Halloween Simpsons Special"!  
WARNER BROS. typically releases stunning dvd presentations, and "RED PLANET" is no exception!  The film's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio is intact with 16:9 enhancement.  There's stunning detail in every single scene, and color values are outstanding, without any oversaturation!  The contrast is also terrific, with deep blacks and grays!  
The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundmix is extremely aggressive, offering a wide
range of directional effects.  Atmospheric effects are continually
effective, and select "surround" effects come into play brilliantly during
key moments.  The film's score from Graeme Revell is also quite good, and it engulfs the listener at just the right moment, without ever overshadowing the sound effects. 
WARNER BROS has also provided a French Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix option, but surprisingly, not a Spanish one. 
WARNER BROS has provided some "deleted scenes", but it's extremely disappointing that the film's actual trailer isn't here! The "deleted scenes" segment offers eight scenes, but they're mostly just extended versions of scenes already in the film.