Red Planet is a 2000 science fiction action film directed by Antony Hoffman. The film stars Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Tom Sizemore. Red Planet was released in the United States on 10 November 2000. The film was a critical and commercial failure and is Hoffman's only feature film to date. Plot In 2056, pollution and overpopulation have caused an ecological crisis on Earth. As part of the first stage of terraforming, automated interplanetary missions seeded Mars with atmosphere-producing algae. The crew of Mars-1, consisting of Quinn Burchenal, Bud Chantila, Robby Gallagher, Kate Bowman, pilot Ted Santen, and Chip Pettengill, is dispatched to investigate when the oxygen produced by the algae mysteriously decreases. A gamma-ray burst damages "Mars-1" upon arrival. Bowman remains on board for repairs, while the others land in search of an automated habitat (HAB 1) to produce food and oxygen. The team's landing craft gets damaged during re-entry and lands in the wrong place. In the aftermath, "AMEE," a military robot programmed to guide them, is lost, and Chantilas sustains a severe injury, prompting the others to abandon him. Santen refuses, but Chantilas informs them that they have limited oxygen left to make it to HAB 1, so the crew departs to allow Chantilas to pass away in peace. Bowman talks to Houston while in orbit around Mars. Houston tells her that "Mars-1" is in a decaying orbit, but there is still hope that the engines can be fixed so they can leave Mars. The landing party discovers HAB 1 destroyed on Mars, despite the fact that the module was designed and field-tested in Tornado Alley to withstand any storms on Mars. Pettengill and Santen separate from the others to explore, eventually reaching a canyon where they argue about whether or not the mission was a success. Pettengill kills Santen by accident, then returns to Burchenal and Gallagher and informs them that Santen committed suicide. Gallagher opens his helmet, preferring death over asphyxiation, but discovers that Mars' atmosphere is thin but breathable. The only salvageable material from the habitat is the liquid fuel, which has ruptured and pooled beneath the wreck. With no remaining power in their suits, the astronauts light it on fire with a flare so they can have a bonfire to survive the Martian night's massive temperature drop. AMEE rejoins the crew, and the three astronauts notice that the robot is damaged and attempt