A scene from Passage to Mars (Sundance Selects)

This documentary chronicles a NASA team’s efforts to man a vehicle across 2,000 miles in the Arctic to simulate an actual manned mission to Mars. The six members anticipates it will be difficult, and, of course, it turns out to be much more so than anticipated.

With this premise, one sits down to watch this film with the optimism of leader Pascal Lee, a planetary systems expert, and his crew. But a lack of suspense, a hugely portentous voice-over, and no real focus on the quirks and personalities of Lee’s colleagues quickly sink the film.

It is a shame, because what you do have is some absolutely stunning cinematography of tundra. The landscape of this barren world is just breathtaking. There is also intermittently fantastic footage of Mars interspersed between plot points.

But the narration, taken from Lee’s diary, really drags the movie down. Director Jean-Christophe Jeuffre made the deadly decision of only using said narration. So, you get dreamy declarations and facile observations voiced by Zachary Quinto as if he was reciting Dune. Lee can pretty much yoke any stray observation to Mars, such as something along the lines of: “I am eating oatmeal. I wonder what oatmeal on Mars would taste like. If aliens were on Mars, perhaps they would eat oatmeal as well.” I barely exaggerate here.

There is not necessarily a serious lack of personality in the team members so much as a serious lack of interest on the part of the filmmakers. We learn no real distinguishing features save for what their roles are in the mission. It’s a blessing when cinematographer Mark Carroll gives us a lighthearted tour of his igloo. It’s the first spark of actual human relations in the film. Also, there are only passing remarks about what is ostensibly a fascinating subject. How do people get along in a 10 by 10 roaming vehicle they are expected to live, sleep, and eat in? How do they work it out? Does everybody like the blues? Who gets control of the radio? You get glimpses yet are largely left wondering.

It’s honorable and ultimately important that Lee and his team attempt to work out the issues that could go wrong with a manned Mars mission. It is, unfortunately, not very exciting to watch.