Number of discs: 3
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Run Time: 328 minutes
Series: 4 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“Mars” is not just another sci-fi movie, it is a TV mini-series, which aired on the National Geographic Channel. It is also not another documentary series either, which makes it kinda unique and interesting! First of all it is from executive producers Brian Grazer & Ron Howard, so right there we have something special. “Mars” is a docudrama. It mixes dramatic TV story line perfectly with real-life interviews and it absolutely stunning to look at. We want more shows like this National Geographic!
Official Premise: MARS follows a crew of courageous international astronauts on its exhilarating maiden voyage to Mars and quest to colonize the fourth planet from the sun. In a unique blend of scripted drama intermixed with documentary sequences and feature-film-caliber visual effects, the series presents what the greatest minds in space exploration are doing to make traveling to Mars a reality, featuring Big Thinkers like Elon Musk, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stephen Petranek.
The 1080p transfer looks amazing with the added CG elements from this series. The DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track sounds greet with the dramatic tone added in and effects are well balanced. The special features are solid. There is a great behind-the-scenes look called “Making Mars”, which clocks in at over 45 minutes. “Before Mars – A Prequel” gives some great backstory to the series and runs over 30 minutes. Then there are some more behind-the-scenes looks and interviews with Ron Howard and other cast and crew. Definitely worth watching!