Prishelets

"Forsaken," also known as "Stranded on Mars," falls short of being considered a cinematic masterpiece. While it may not rank among the best, it manages to escape the label of the worst, as I've encountered films far more lacking in various aspects.

One notable aspect in favor of "Forsaken" is its commendable visual effects, especially considering the constraints of its sci-fi genre and production budget. The cast, too, is not entirely without merit, with some characters leaving a positive impact. The film introduces intriguing tensions in the characters' lives, hinting at potential developments, yet frustratingly fails to provide a conclusive resolution.

Diverging from typical Mars-centric narratives, "Forsaken" primarily focuses on events unfolding on Earth. Here, it successfully delves into themes of politics, corruption, and financial exploitation, weaving a dark and significant backdrop for the plot. Not adhering to the conventional Hollywood formula, the movie doesn't necessarily demand a cheerful resolution.

As for the ending, my sentiments are mixed. While the film introduces compelling plot twists, it ultimately leaves the viewer in a state of confusion. This ambiguity constitutes my primary critique of the movie; a clearer conclusion would have undoubtedly enhanced the overall viewing experience.

First off, I am a fan of Russian cinema. Films like Solaris and Salyut 7 are great! So I started watching this some time back, but saw it as a blatant rip-off of The Martian and turned it off after maybe 15-20 minutes. Then I saw a quick blurb online and decided the watch the entire thing.

Pretty disappointing. As others have said here, it's an obvious knock off of several other movies. The mouthy, flamboyant TV guy is exactly the same as in The Fifth Element, and every bit as annoying. About halfway through the movie, I'm starting to think that this is all a parody (satire) and not intended to be serious. Sadly, it is not. This is meant to be a serious movie, and in that it fails.

It tries to be political, and fails. It tries to make a statement... and fails. It succeeds in visuals, which are quite good. The leading characters are good, but they can't carry the whole movie. The sad part is, this had all the elements to make a very good movie.. but just doesn't know to "do" with them. If you are desperate for a sci fi fix.. it'll do. Just don't expect too much..

The movie is not a mere story about an astronaut left on Mars. It's more about politics and money that become more important than a human life. This story is totally opposite to "The Martian",

As usual - Russians produced a piece of c**p... Don't even try this one as it has no plot, no idea, no character play, nothing special regarding to visual effects (Chromakey + MS Paint level).

I don't understand the poor ratings. I thought this movie was quite good. It looked in the beginning like a clone of The Martian but it was not that at all. I thought the main cast was very good and the story kept you interested. Worth the watch.

Where The Martisn focused on the astronaut, this movie was very much about the activities on earth (without forgetting the astronaut). It showed commercial shenanigans to make money and politicians using the stranded astronaut for political gain. In the midst of this, you had dedicated staff truly trying to save the stranded astronaut only to be continually frustrated by those who did not care. It had a gritty realism and then also some mysteries on Mars.