The beginning 1/3 of the film threw me off. It felt really disjointed and didn't really flow that well. When they are discussing bringing Gardner back to Earth, I got a good sense of why Gardner wanted to go back, but I didn't really get a good feeling as to why some of the other characters were fighting to bring him back to Earth.When Gardner gets to Earth, the film flows more smoothly from scene to scene. I really enjoyed Asa Butterfield and Britt Robertson in the film. I really appreciated how Gary Oldman's character is initially portrayed as the villian but you quickly understand that he really does want what's best for Gardner.Some of the science stood out as drastically wrong (primarily instantaneous communication between Earth and Mars) but it doesn't affect the story and is more of a minor complaint.Overall, I had an enjoyable time. I feel like a stronger opening scene and a more even first 1/3 of the film would have made it even better.

What had the potential to be a phenomenal exploration on human existence fell short of what I'd hoped. Despite an compelling story line, the characters were flat and less than engaging. I found the film pleasantly entertaining, but left feeling underwhelmed.

This movie was okay. I think that it was a movie that family's could enjoy, but it wasn't amazing. I felt like at some parts the acting was pretty bad and the plot line was a little cheesy. It was a feel-good movie and they did an okay job producing it.

I liked most of the movie. The only things which I didn't really like was the kids were 16 (back to that in a moment) and basically insinuated they had sex. However, were they really 16? At one point the man who made the ring said he made it 16 years ago, but the math didn't add up there either. When he was on Mars, they said Gardner was 16 already, but there also would've been almost 7 months between the first trip to Mars from Earth. Then there was the surgery, which would have some recovery time, then another 7 months from Mars to Earth. Wouldn't, one, he be closer to 17 or older, and two, wouldn't the ring have been made almost 18-19 years prior?Other than that, the movie was enjoyable with some funny parts, filled with romantic parts.