The Martian (2015)
Cast Away, but on Mars.
Presentation:
If you wanted to ever watch Matt Damon stranded on Mars, then this movie will be for you. It’s based on a book resulting in a well written script rooted in scientific survival skills. It focuses mostly on scientific problem solving to differentiate itself from other survival films like Cast Away, leading to a more realistic viewing experience. But this begs the question, why not just watch a YouTube documentary instead, which has endless hypothetical and real life scenarios of incredible survival stories? This film responds by including a wide cast and immersive portrayal of Mars and space stations to make it worth going to the theater.
Conclusion:
This film has been mostly well received, but I personally found it disappointing. You shouldn’t be expecting much action, sexy sci-fi or dramatic conflicts or even a climax. It’s a straightforward yet predictable mission relying on realism to provide a cinematic experience. It’s not necessarily boring, it’s just doesn’t have enough beats in the story especially when it doesn’t have a strong payoff. But if all you care about are the mechanics and technical details of a story, then this is one of the more well fleshed out disaster narratives.
Recommendations
A philosophical odyssey venturing into our cosmic subconscious.