I have not seen the new film yet, but judging from what I know (hey, if Tom Cruise and Tim Robbins can do it, so can I. "And I went to college!" - Plankton), a bunch of Martian war machines laying waste to the terran landscape may not be a big space exploration seller for the masses.

Certainly not like Top Gun did for the US Navy in the 1980s. Say, didn't that film star....

Contrast a film like 1995's Apollo 13: Real triumph in the face of real adversity (yes, Mission Control really did wave American flags and cheer when the crew returned safely to Earth, those silly patriotic types). Tom Hanks had a genuine enthusiasm and knowledge for space exploration (while not claiming to be an actual astronaut), and he has gone on to further promote our greatest moments in space history and support real space exploration, all while not sounding or acting like a jackass. Take note, Mr. Scientology.