Movie Review: 'The Martian'

'The Martian' is an Astronomical Success
October 2015

Ridley Scott creates an out of the world man versus nature film about an astronaut’s struggle to survive while stranded on the planet Mars. 
  
The movie, based on Andy Weirs’ 2011 novel The Martian, is an enjoyable, suspenseful, and surprisingly humorous film. Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, the Mars mission crew’s botanist that is left behind after a large dust storm causes the crew to abandon the mission early. Afterwards, Damon must find a way to survive on a planet whose very nature is contrary to human life.

Figure 1; Damon taking a rest on Mars; imdb.com

The majority of the film focuses on Damon’s character on Mars, so the film really relies on him to carry it. He does not disappoint. Matt Damon is able to turn a desperate struggle to survive into an intimate and optimistic story of human ingenuity and endurance. In addition, his co-stars, including Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, and the awkwardly placed Kristen Wiig, add to the story, but audiences will find themselves longing to see Damon on Mars whenever it cuts away from him.
  
The setting is beautiful, and seeing the film in RealD 3D is worth it, if only to see the beautifully created landscapes of Mars in stunning realism. When it isn’t hostile, Mars is portrayed as a beautiful place with orange skies and long stretches of land with high mountains and deep canyons. In addition, the colors and camera angles often imbue the setting with a sense of optimism and peace.
  
Other than a few details, the science of the film is spot on. Ridley Scott consulted with NASA to make sure the facts and science were realistic, and they nailed it. Most of the movie is about science, as Watney tells us, “I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this.” However, the gravity on Mars is a little too heavy in the film than it is in real life, and the dust storms of mars are too intense for its thin atmosphere. I suspect the filmmakers knew that, but designed it for suspense and ease of filming. 
  
Overall, I rate the film: An Out of the World Must See. The movie is truly amazing and had me at the edge of my seat more than once. The dangers feel real, the acting is genuine, the writing is clever, and the science is top notch. On more than one occasion, I found myself holding my breath from suspense because a character I cared about was put into danger. Not to mention, it isn’t very often that you get to watch Sean Bean live through a movie. I suspect that the next time I see the film, it will be just as thrilling.
  
‘The Martian’ is currently number one in the box office, grossing $54,308,575 according to Box Office Mojo. It has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.