Matt Damon plays an astronaut who is presumed dead and left behind on the planet Mars, and who then fights to survive. Our J.P. reviews “The Martian.”
The Martian
(20th Century Fox)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Produced by Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer, Aditya Sood, Mark Huffam
Screenplay by Drew Goddard
Based on The Martian by Andy Weir
Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Donald Glover
Studio Synopsis:
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a best-selling novel, and helmed by master director Ridley Scott, THE MARTIAN features a star studded cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Donald Glover, Mackenzie Davis, and Chiwetel Ejiofor
J.P.’s Take:
Knowing space is a harsh and lonely place to venture out into, “The Martian” makes it seem like surviving on Mars is a worthy challenge. Where as movies like “Mission To Mars” or “Red Planet” seem a bit stale today, “The Martian” proves to be a vibrant excursion which thrives on Matt Damon’s effervescent performance and Riddley Scott’s masterful direction. This is a multifaceted, survivalist adventured-laced with wrought humor, an inventive script, and spectacular 3D cinematography.
Imagine yourself stranded on the surface of Mars, with no crewmembers, little or no resources, and no way to get home. Damon’s character Mark Watney is faced with that very scenario. The story, in fact, does call for some ingenuity on Damon’s character’s part, allowing him to as he puts it “engineer the sh**” out his situation. Think of this film as the intergalactic version of the show “Man vs. Wild.” Watney needs to survive for months on end on Mars, which means he’ll need water, food and a safe haven. This is where Watney has to muster up every brain cell in his head to concoct some striking inventive measures for survival.
How he does this become the films most intriguing setups. From the methods he uses to cultivate potatoes to extend his food supply to the process of extracting water, all are done in such a plausible manner. You’d be hard pressed to research them for yourself. However, his most arduous mission was finding a way to call home. As Watney is saddled with the fact that his crew had no choice but to leave him behind, he sets out on uncharted territory. Thanks in part to screenwriter Drew Goddard’s spunky adaptation of author Andy Weir’s novel, the screenplay would have proven otherwise dreary. Riddly Scott is one of the greatest when it comes to sci-fi, and once again, his vision is a fully realized view of space in an up close and personal fashion.
Reinforcing the story is a nicely placed cast. Chiwetel Ejiofor as NASA’s director of operations provides a compassionate and devoted performance. He is the scientific mind who is adamant about bringing Watney home. Mission Commander Melissa Lewis is played by Jessica Chastain, who gives us a heartfelt interpretation of a leader afflicted by her choice to leave Watney behind. Jeff Daniels is the politically cautious chief of NASA and he gives a straight-ahead performance. Kristen Wiig does surprisingly well in a dramatic role as NASA’s spokesperson Annie Montrose. Coming out of nowhere is Donald Glover as the wiley eyed math genius Rich Pernell, who has an integral role in planning the safe return of Mark Watney. Filling out the remainder of the cast is Sean Bean as NASA’s apprehensive mission director Mitch Henderson, while the astronauts are played by Michael Peña as Rick Martinez, Kate Mara as Beth Johanssen, Sebastian Stan as Chris Beck, and Aksel Hennie as Alex Vogel. All gave comradely performances.
What’s intriguing about “The Martian” is that it’s not a film that leaves you with hopelessness. Instead, it injects a bit of fun and humor into a dire situation. You’ll be right there with Mark Watney as he’s solving issues one bit at a time. Even when it seems like all was lost, Watney kept his composure and tackled the tough problems…simply because he had the will to survive. In the end, you will leave satisfied with the outcome. I thought this was a fun and ingenious sci-fi/drama.