The Last Day On Mars

Director of The Battle of Algiers, Gillo Pontecorvo, was known for his controversial political films, which were singular in their determination to reject popular political rhetoric in favour of serving the greater good. Despite universal critical acclaim, Pontecorvo’s filmography is scant, with each work separated by up to nine years. The director once explained that, when confronted with an idea, he would always ask himself “Why this?” Unless his motivation was strong and bigger than himself, he wouldn’t make a film.

“Why this?”

It’s a question filmmakers ask too rarely these days, and came to mind while watching Ruairi Robinson’s sci-fi/horror hybrid The Last Days On Mars. This frustratingly empty film sees Liev Schreiber heading up a group of scientists exploring the red planet, who uncover – and unleash – a zombifying virus.

But unlike most horror films that make their infected creatures stand for something, anything – consumerism, sexuality, political terrorism – Robinson’s monsters are mere thoughtless props with a logic-free affliction. Driven not by rage or hunger, they don’t even bite their victims, but (bizarrely) prefer to attack them with power tools. The backdrop too seems poorly realised. Aside from the claustrophobic setting of space shuttles and buggies, there’s no cinematic reason for the cosmic setting – which itself serves to highlight the film’s lack of wider philosophical purpose.

As flashing lights, jerky editing and shaky cams fail to distract from the film’s lack of plot-propulsion or energy, and a flat script fails to give us any character to care about, every aspect feels randomly selected and without any actual point. Why this, indeed?