The Martian Review

        This is one of my favorite films ever. Not only that, it’s also one of the best book adaptations that I have seen. Going in, I read the novel by Andy Weir which is definitely a must read. It’s one of those films that comes out and shows the amazing power of the United States’ space program. Okay, it’s a work of realistic science fiction and it works. Also, it’s a good film that takes place in Mars. SPOILERS will appear in the review. 

1. Story

        Sometime in the future, NASA has made it possible to have their astronauts finally land on Mars. Hopefully, one day I’ll see it. Anyways, on a routine mission on Mars. The Ares 4 team evacuates the Red Planet after a severe dust storm. As they’re reaching the rocket to blast off, Mark Watney is punctured by a radio antenna and the crew leave thinking he’s dead. Back on Earth, the head of NASA Teddy Sanders played by Jeff Daniels announce Watney’s death.

        Meanwhile, Mark awakens and realize he was left behind. He records himself updating that he is alive and notes that anything that were to happen in the habitation unit, he will die. Throughout the film, Watney uses his knowledge in Botany to grow himself a garden of potatoes and finds an intact probe Pathfinder to communicate to Mission Control. At the same time, NASA’s Mars mission and Jet Propulsion Lab figures out a way to bring back Watney. 

        It’s a refreshing take for a science fiction film to be grounded in realism as The Martian. Since other films that involve NASA such as The Right Stuff and Apollo 13 are historical dramas. This one is more of a hypothetical what if and how NASA would respond to such an event. Like we get to see the background bureaucracy drama that the nonmilitary organization might have. Overall, it’s not bogged down by it so much and has likeable characters that flesh out the science of bringing back Mark Watney. 

2. Mark Watney

        This guy is probably the best thing in the movie.  It’s refreshing to have an astronaut to be a real smartass type of person. Typically, they have a distinct All-American look. He’s like that in the novel as well. What makes him likeable is that he manages to assess what he has going for in the situation he’s in. He knows that any wrong move that he does or anything that will happen, he will die. 

        The best moment is when he starts his own potato garden. He even discloses to his recordings that he was a botany major. The science works in tandem with Watney preparing his own garden. Such as when he gets his crew feces as manure and figuring out how to make a supply of water. The best shot is when he reaches down and his hand touches a small sprout in the ground. 

        Something that works in the film as well as the other characters is the overall charm and likeability. Watney isn’t a cavalier or stubborn astronaut, he tries his darndest to stay alive and to find a decommissioned probe to communicate to Mission Control. Others do so the same way albeit in their own way. Matt Damon managed to reinvigorate an astronaut character that has the charm to make himself likeable.

3. Space: Anything Can Happen

        Re-watching the film and the only antagonist that creates the many obstacles that Mark Watney has to face is the environment. It reinforces the idea in NASA that it believes in Murphy’s Law. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Such as when Watney is going to his hub. As he is getting his oxygen replenished, a breach appears and sends him soaring causing his helmet to crack and garden to die. 

        I feel it’s realistic to depict this type of thing to happen since, people have to be reminded that traveling to space is a risk in of itself. For instance, when Sanders okayed a launch of a probe for Watney, he wanted the launch to go over the hoops of regulations. As the launch happened, the rocket exploded. 

        It works as a great dramatic motif but, like I mentioned earlier it’s a reality that must be reminded when people want to go to space. The overall use of it makes the movie more engaging and the stakes higher. I was on the edge of my seat when the crew was going to rescue Watney in Mars’ orbit.

4. Book Adaptation

        It’s no secret that some of the best films are based on novels. The Martian joins an elite class of films to be just as good as the book. Movies like Jaws and The Godfather are considered to be the best and very beloved. Much so with The Martian since it could be the only film to literally mirror the book in terms of content and characterization. 

        What makes a good book adaptation is mostly take some liberties with adapting the source material to the film. While, at the same time, be true to the book that a fan of the book can love the movie. As well as a regular audience member loving the film and finding and buying the novel. Something I want to know is if the author Andy Weir had any sort of creative input behind the scenes. Or if director Ridley Scott had a one on one conversation with the author to deliver a mostly faithful adaptation. 

        It’s without a doubt that this film is mostly not bogged down with scientific jargon that any member in the audience can follow what’s happening. The line “I did the math” always pops up and I feel that it’s a way to skim through any scientific method that felt repetitive. I can’t recall if there is an excessive use of scientific guesses in the novel but I can say that the film is realistic to an extent. 

5. Overall

        The film earned multiple accolades in the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. It was one of the highest grossing films in 2015. My love of space only magnified my love for The Martian. Matt Damon managed to change the ideal view of an astronaut that may inspire future astronauts to have a certain charming character that they might adopt. I can’t say this enough but it’s one of the best book adaptation ever to be screened. Without a doubt, it’s my personal favorite films of all time. 

        The Martian gets a five out of five.