Some say that size doesn't matter. But when it comes to movie screens, bigger is certainly better, and it doesn't get much bigger than Omnimax. At the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, Boston, New England's only Omnimax Theater, IMAX-format film is projected onto a 180-degree, five-story-tall screen, presenting something much more than a movie. "Roving Mars" (2006), which details the recent Mars rover expeditions, recently opened at the Mugar Omni Theater and is as close to a trip to Mars as anyone outside of NASA could hope for.
It's difficult to separate the film from the experience of viewing it with IMAX or Omnimax. The Omnimax format, which differs from an IMAX screen through its incorporation of an angled dome, receives five stars in and of itself. It is something that must be experienced at least once, so long as vertigo and motion sickness aren't of concern -- and possibly even if they are.
With the Museum of Science's January program, "Free Film Fridays," all showings of Omnimax films are free on Fridays during the month of January. Missing out on these events would be criminally unintelligent regardless of what film is available. Aside from "Roving Mars," which is a collaboration between Walt Disney Pictures, NASA, and Lockheed Martin (presented as a public service), "Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk" (2002), "Greatest Places" (1998) and "Dinosaurs Alive" (2007) are also playing in the Mugar Omni Theater.
Most IMAX films, including "Roving Mars," fall under the umbrella of science movies. Narrated by the late Paul Newman, "Roving Mars" tells the story of the NASA missions to Mars in 2003 when twin rovers, Spirit and Discovery, were sent to explore our red neighbor. The documentary gives a brief history of the many missions to Mars since the 1960s -- two-thirds of which have failed -- and then focuses in on the most recent mission.
While it seems like it should be fairly easy to shoot a little robot to Mars, the process is very complicated. Key players from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab interviewed in the film give a sense of how massive an undertaking a mission like this is. (It took over three years and the efforts of over four thousand people.) The distance from Earth to Mars is roughly 300 million miles, and even with craft traveling at many thousands of miles per hour, the journey still takes seven months.
"Roving Mars" made its IMAX debut in 2006, but the computer-generated animations which comprise a large portion of the film's 40-minute running time are incredibly clear and realistic looking. The rovers seem to share some DNA with the titular robot from Disney/Pixar's recent smash hit "WALL-E" (2008), and, as an added bonus, a full-scale replica of the rovers is on display in the lobby of the museum.
Real interviews, authentic footage from the Jet Propulsion Lab, breathtaking computer-generated sequences, and photos that the rovers sent back from Mars are combined to produce a compelling documentary about this historic mission. Spirit and Opportunity were sent to Mars to look for possible signs of water, and they immediately found what they were looking for.
While many IMAX/Omnimax films use their format as a crutch, "Roving Mars" doesn't have to. Even small children and those not fully invested in the topic of space exploration will still find things to drool over. One particularly thrilling sequence uses shots of the actual shuttle launch edited together with computer generated images to show the event from a bird's-eye view and then follow the shuttle up through the atmosphere. Those who are more interested in learning about the mission, however, need not fret as the documentary is as packed full of information as anything one might expect to see on The Discovery Channel.
The film's 40-minute running time is fairly short, and much of the science is glazed over in consideration of the fact that the audience is comprised mainly of children, on whom more technical jargon would be lost. The film presents a clear, basic picture of this particular Mars rover mission, but those interested in the full story are invited in a post-show announcement to purchase the book from the Museum gift shop.
"Roving Mars" will thrill audiences of all ages. Breathtaking cinematography and a fascinating, if somewhat simplistic, story are presented in the world's largest film format for a truly unique and educational experience.
"Roving Mars" will be playing at the Boston Museum of Science, located at the Science Park T stop on the Green Line, through July 16. The museum's "Free Film Fridays" program ends next Friday, Jan. 30.
