Grade: D+

Verdict: Another botched mission to mars.

Details: Starring Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss and Tom Sizemore. Directed by Antony Hoffman. Rated PG-13 for violence, profanity and brief nudity. One hour, 47 minutes.

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Review: In the 1960s, Mars needed women.

In the year 2000, Mars needs an agent.

First “Mission To Mars.” Now “Red Planet.” Doesn't this planet ever read scripts?

“Red Planet” is one of those movies where the sound effects guys put more into their work than the writers did. It's the year 2050 and Earth has run out of time. Out of natural resources, too. We don't even have frogs anymore.

The solution, supposedly, is to colonize Mars. To that end, a manned mission is launched, led by flight commander Carrie-Anne Moss who looks good in leather and gets a shower scene. They're supposed to check out the planet and see if earlier measures, such as planting oxygen-producing algae, have worked.

After the requisite banter and crew intros — scientist-turned- cheesy-philosopher Terence Stamp, space “janitor” Val Kilmer, take-charge he-man Benjamin Bratt, weasly agriculturist Simon Baker and head scientist Tom Sizemore — the flight runs into trouble. While Carrie-Anne stays aboard to fix things, the guys crash-land on Mars. Things soon go from bad to worse (on the mission and in the movie).

Ever since “Alien,” it's been almost mandatory for sci-fi thrillers to off major cast members. So most of the plot concerns us watching — and guessing — who'll go next. Meanwhile, Carrie-Anne circles the planet, occasionally unzipping her spacesuit so she can lounge in a camisole while bickering with a bossy computer named Lucy.

“Red Planet” has some arresting special effects — notably, a prehensile robot named AMEE that's like a cross between a transformer and a dog — and red filters galore. But an insultingly by-the-numbers script squanders the interesting cast. I mean, why hire someone like Stamp and give him about a page of dialogue, most of it cosmic-themed nonsense. Early on, Lucy informs the crew there's been a “failure to engage.” I think she was talking about the movie.

— Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Cox News Service