Roving Mars (2006)

So much average

People are voting emotionally.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

On January 4, 2004 Sean O'Keefe, Director of NASA, announced the "Spirit" had landed. Three years earlier the scientists and researchers at NASA Jet Prepulsion were assigned to build two identical robotic rovers to send to Mars and feed data back to Earth. The two rovers were named "Spirit" and "Opportunity", which were successful in presenting a brand new view of what Mars is really like...and actually proving at one time there was water on the mysterious planet. This 40 minute documentary is directed and narrated by George Butler. Shot in IMAX and with life-like animation, ROVING MARS answers decades old curiosity about the soil and terrain of Earth's closest planetary neighbor. You just wish you had a longer glimpse. A wonderful tool for classrooms.

I do love these IMAX movies. It's very nice to see films that are EDITED properly and it's a real joy to see EDITING like this. This one has music that seems to be identical to Fog of War! It's good music though.THE BAD: for something that is meant to be 100% real...why have they put sound on the outer space stuff? THE GOOD: There's never a dull moment in this documentary. It's really fascinating seeing how the rover unfolds itself and moves around the terrain. Plus the elaborate way in which they got it onto the martian surface in the first place! These films have a way of brightening up your day because they are so positive and exciting. You leave the film feeling good...and that HAS to be a good thing.

this documentary about the mars Rovers mission to Mara is very interesting and well done.we learn just what it takes to build these machines and then how much is involved in making sure they are not going to malfunction while in space or once they are on the planet.the animation sequences are very well done.the only drawback for m,is that the film is too short,at just under 40 minutes.otherwise,this a really engaging documentary.one thing that struck me though was that the scientists all believe there will be manned mission to Mars in the foreseeable future.i think that is being overly optimistic.anyway,for me Roving mars is an 8/10

Short documentary, and just good enough to keep the attention of young viewers... great action sequences and as mentioned, the animation from live footage is nearly indistinguishable... the NASA experience shared here both in actual footage and staff interviews makes for great enjoyment for any space buff... well worth seeing as an IMAX candidate! I suppose the only drawback is no green men or any Hollywood fantasies here, you have to actually use your mind to imagine the possibilities of what's out there, given the tidbits of evidence about water and rock material collected from the mission... should be enough for any mortal man, but don't go in expecting to see Tom Cruise battle any aliens. :)