Astronauts Charles Brubaker, John Walker and Peter Willis (James Brolin, O.J. Simpson and Sam Waterston are hailed as heroes when they become the first men to be rocketed to Mars. Actually the space travellers are as phony as their mission controller Dr. James Kelloway (Hal Holbrook); to avert a failure that might cost the space program its funding, the Mars-bound vessel has been sent up without a crew, while the helmeted astronauts sit on a movie soundstage, pretending to be in outer space for the benefit of the TV cameras. Unfortunately the Mars ship crashes on arrival, making the astronaut trio thoroughly expendable. Investigative reporter Elliot Gould, whos smelled a rat all along, races against time to prevent NASA from terminating the hapless astronauts in order to cover up the conspiracy. Not to be taken seriously for a minute, Capricorn One is a roller-coaster ride of a film, building to an outrageous but exciting conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide