The first manned mission to Mars in 2020 ends in disaster when three of the crew are seemingly killed and the fourth, Luke Graham (Don Cheadle), is stranded with no way to contact Earth. Jim McConnell (Gary Sinise), Woody Blake (Tim Robbins), Phil Ohlmyer (Jerry O'Connell) and Terri Fisher (Connie Nielsen) are sent on a rescue mission to rescue any survivors and find out what happened. The team uncovers startling evidence that Mars may not be a dead planet after all.